caption, page 1:
'Downed Pilot'
Jackie Fleming from the Air Force plays a crashed glider pilot in a Civil Air Patrol evaluation May 18 at the Woodstock Airport. More photos on page 6. Linda Lemmon photo.
captions, page 6:
'Pilot' Jackie Fleming gives a thumbs up after the Civil Air Patrol members found her.
The CAP Congressional Gold Medal awarded to the family of Rudy Tomasik sits next to a photo of Tomasik during WWII.
CAP members display Tomasik's CAP jackets from the WWII era.
Tracking down the test beacon.
Members of the Connecticut Wing of the Civil Air Patrol with commander Col. James Ridley.
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
WOODSTOCK — Honors descended onto the Woodstock Airport May 18.
The U.S. Air Force Auxiliary Civil Air Patrol (CAP) Connecticut wing was tested on its emergency readiness by the Air Force and Woodstock Airport was the site of the wing’s successful evaluation.
Col. James A. Ridley Sr., commanding officer of the Connecticut CAP wing, said the Air Force evaluates the operational readiness for emergency services every two years. The wing’s test May 18 was a “crashed” glider at the Woodstock Airport.
The “glider,” bright silver and orange pieces of material near the runway, had an emergency beacon sending a signal. A plane above located the beacon and circled, radioing to the Connecticut CAP wing members on the ground.
The wing members arrived at the Woodstock Airport by van and asked bystanders if they knew Jackie Fleming, the pilot.
The bystanders said “No, but you’re free to look around.” Wing members then found the “downed pilot” Fleming, of the Air Force, lying on the ground on the “glider” and called in assessments of the scene and of the pilot. Fleming then provided more training to the wing members who located her.
In addition, 1st Lt. Brian Waldron, the wing historian and deputy commander of cadets CT, said honors were delivered to the family of the airport’s long time former owner, the late Rudy Tomasik.
The wing brought the CAP Congressional Gold Medal for Tomasik’s daughter. Waldron said the medal is for Tomasik’s service in the CAP in Virginia during WWII before he joined the Army and went overseas. The CAP was instrumental in guarding the coastline during the war.
Woodstock Airport was started by an admiral in the 1930s and he sold it to Tomasik in 1954, knowing it was in good hands. When Tomasik died in 2013, the airport was willed to Joanne and Ed Baker. The Bakers sold the airport to Dorothy and Doug Durant Dec. 31, 2018.
The CAP wing was gifted Tomasik’s CAP memorabilia including the jackets he wore when he was a CAP member during WWII, plus certificates, photos, badges and much more.
Joanne Baker said “Rudy would have loved this” award.
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caption, page 5:
Signing
Chyna Bullen, center, with Kirsty Leedham, Marianapolis girls’ varsity basketball head coach, and Andrew Vitale, Marianapolis athletic director. Courtesy photo.
Bullen signs
with Florida
Southern
THOMPSON — Chyna Bullen ’19 of Exeter, N.H., signed to play basketball for Florida Southern College on May 16.
Bullen has been a member of the girls’ varsity basketball team for the past two seasons, this year serving as captain. Prior to Marianapolis, she attended Bradford Christian Academy. Bullen has been playing basketball since the fourth grade, typically playing the 3/4 position. This past season, she averaged 5.3 rebounds per game, 2 assists per game, 6 points per game, and had a 40 percent Field Goal percentage. In addition, Bullen helped the Marianapolis team to win the NEPSAC Class A championship this year.
Bullen decided to sign with Florida Southern due to its “highly acclaimed business program and extremely successful basketball program. After playing with the team and being on campus, I knew Florida Southern was an amazing fit for me.” She plans to major in business.
Marianapolis girls’ varsity basketball head coach Kirsty Leedham said that Bullen was “a pivotal part of the success” of the team this year. “From day one, she has showed true leadership, and passion for the game. Chyna has always been a very special player, and worked hard to show that in every game she played, by doing whatever it takes to help the team to be successful. She has served as a positive role model for her teammates both on and off the court, and was always an encouraging voice throughout the season. I am very excited for Chyna to be taking the next step, and heading to Florida Southern, and I will be eager to watch her continue to be successful throughout her college career.
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Tennis team
is tops in
Division I
Winning a match against a strong team like Stonington isn’t something that doesn’t happen often.
Trying to do that twice in one season?
Near impossible.
Woodstock Academy girls’ tennis coach Ann Rathbone knew that was likely the case.
“Stonington was a sleeping bear and if you poke a sleeping bear, it’s going to come back at you with everything it has. I knew it was going to be difficult,” said Rathbone.
The veteran coach was right.
Stonington came primed for a rematch and posted a 6-1 victory over the Centaurs May 18.
The win didn’t totally ruin the Centaurs’ day.
Woodstock Academy (11-4), with the previous over the Bears, earned a share of the ECC Div. I title with Stonington. The two teams finished with 5-1 league records.
“We’re really happy,” said senior Mari Ruggeri. “Stonington has been taking the title for the past few years and to finally beat them, taking at least a part of the title, is a super-huge goal for us and was the goal all season.”
It’s the first Division I regular season title since 2015 and eighth overall for Woodstock Academy.
“That’s really special,” Woodstock Academy junior Rachel Holden said. “I don’t think we’ve ever beaten Stonington (the Centaurs had not prior to the 4-3 victory on May 8). The last time someone beat them was a long time ago and it just feels great.”
The last ECC teams to beat Stonington were E. Lyme and Waterford in 2014.
Rathbone realized the Centaurs may be in for a long day when Stonington’s No. 2 singles player, Ainsle Johnston, suited up for her match.
“She was pretty heavily taped but she is a good little player. She hits a lot of slice which kind of threw (Morgan Bassett) off. She changed the lineup and I told my girls, ‘We just have to take care of what we do.’ That’s what we concentrated on,” Rathbone said.
Bassett suffered a 4-6, 3-6 loss to Johnstone while Maddie Hamm handed the Centaurs’ top singles player, Ruggeri, a 2-6, 1-6 loss.
Hannah Darigan also suffered a 4-6, 1-6 defeat before Holden pulled out the lone singles victory, a 6-3, 6-3 decision over Holly Foster.
“It was really hard,” Holden said. “(Foster) hit everything back. I just had to push through. I just kept hitting it to her backhand and getting it deep to her and she had trouble with that.”
Woodstock Academy guaranteed itself the share of the Division I title earlier in the week when it prevailed over East Lyme.
The Centaurs, actually, had to play two matches May 14.
But it was the first one that they were most concerned about.
The Centaurs survived a 2 1/2 hour battle with the Vikings and posted a 5-2 victory.
The Centaurs split the singles matches with the Vikings with Ruggeri winning at No. 1 singles and Darigan at No. 3.
“It was close and (East Lyme) is really good. That was a huge win,” Rathbone said. “It was nip-and-tuck all the way and it wasn’t looking good at times.”
Ruggeri started things right for Woodstock Academy with a 6-2, 6-1 victory.
“Every time out there, (Rathbone), says ‘Mari, everyone is looking at you, you have to have high energy and set the pace,’” Ruggeri said.
She did and so did Darigan at third singles.
The sophomore downed Shauna Kim, 7-6, 6-2.
“It was probably one of her best matches of the year. She played a really good opponent and played very well,” Rathbone said.
Darigan “tweaked” her knee, according to Rathbone, during the match but was able to continue on.
Woodstock Academy then swept the doubles with the effort of second doubles Emma Durand and Rachel Lambert standing out.
The duo lost the first set, 4-6, but rebounded to win the next two, 7-5, 7-5.
“That was the key match and it was crazy,” Rathbone said.
Following the win over East Lyme, the Centaurs had to travel down the road to Waterford and saw their three-match win streak come to an end at the hand of the Lancers, 4-3.
Due to the injury suffered by Darigan and a tough match played by Holden, the two sat the nightcap.
Adeline Smith and Jackie Trudeau filled in at singles with Smith winning.
Ruggeri also posted a second win on the day while Gabby Garbutt and Emma Hovestadt were winners at third doubles.
It was a case of no rest for the weary.
The Centaurs had to play three matches in two days.
It has not been an easy schedule due to the weather problems the area has experienced, but the Centaurs girls’ tennis team didn’t appear to be worse for the wear.
Woodstock Academy downed Killingly, 6-1, May 15.
The Centaurs kept the top of their lineup consistent with Ruggeri and Bassett both getting straight victories.
Smith calmly stepped back into the singles ranks and remained undefeated with a 6-0, 6-4 victory at No. 3 singles.
Lambert also had to step into the singles ranks and found the transition a bit difficult with a 2-6, 6-2, 6-7 loss at fourth singles.
The Centaurs went home with the victory when they swept the doubles competition.
Marc Allard
Sports Information Director
The Woodstock Academy
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The following charges were listed in the Putnam Police Department logs. The people charged are innocent until proven guilty in court. The Town Crier will publish dispositions of cases at the request of the accused. The dispositions must be accompanied by the proper documentation. The Putnam Police Department confidential Tip Line is 963-0000.
May 7
Tyrone Harper, 34, Hartford Pike, Dayville; interfering with an officer’s investigation, simple trespass.
Oscar Harper, 31, unknown/homeless; interfering with an officer’s investigation, simple trespass.
May 9
Heath D. Hill, 42, no certain address; assault hospital staff, assault hospital safety, disorderly conduct.
May 10
Emily Lombardo, 35, Green Street, Putnam; failure to respond to an infraction.
May 11
Michael Bates, 38, Addison Street, Putnam; violation of protection order/disorderly conduct, violation of conditions of release.
May 12
Kai J. Cable, 28, Van den Noort Street, Putnam; disorderly conduct, second-degree threatening.
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