The St. Andrew's Lodge No. 64 has hosted a roast beef dinner fundraiser for nearly two centuries to benefit local scholarships. This year's event raised money for scholarships for students at The Gilbert School and Northwestern Regional High School. In the past they have given out one or two $500 scholarships annually but the amounts vary depending on funds raised. The lodge also supports other charitable causes like the Shriner's Hospital and programs addressing challenges like dyslexia. The fundraiser was well attended by the community who view the Masons' work for others positively.

1. By KEVIN D. ROBERTS
Register Citizen Staff
WINSTED — For almost
two centuries, the St.
Andrew’s Lodge No. 64
Ancient Free and Accepted
Masons has lent a helping
hand to those in need.
Sunday afternoon was no
different as the lodge hosted
a roast beef dinner to benefit
their annual scholarships,
which go to applicants from
The Gilbert School and
Northwestern Regional High
School, Worshipful Master
John Badeen said Sunday
afternoon. Around 140 peo-
ple had registered, with
another 20 to 25 requesting
takeout, Badeen said.
“We usually try to give
one to each school,” Badeen
said.
The scholarship program
started in 1992, when the
lodge gave out two $500
scholarships, Badeen said.
The amount of each scholar-
ship and how many are given
out depend on the amount of
money made and the number
of candidates, he said.
“We do one dinner in the
fall, one in the spring,”
Badeen said.
The lodge also helps out
many other organizations,
including the Shriner’s
Hospital for Children in
Springfield, Mass. and the
32-degree Masonic Learning
Centers for Children Inc.,
Waterbury, among others. A
presentation on dyslexia will
be made at the lodge on
Wednesday, May 23, by the
Masonic Learning Centers.
More than one in seven chil-
dren are challenged by
dyslexia, according to infor-
mation from the lodge.
“It’s a great organization,”
former state Grand Master
R. Stanley Harrison said of
the lodge. “The brotherhood
and all the work that they do
in the community. We do
look after one another.”
Harrison was Grand
Master in 1975 and later
served as Grand Secretary
By JENNA CIARAMELLA
Register Citizen Staff
TORRINGTON — There is
a concern that an extremely
dangerous street drug, popu-
lar in the western part of
the United States, is moving
closer to the Northwest
Corner.
“There is a fear that the
use of methamphetamine is
making its way to this area,”
Torrington Police Chief
Robert Milano said. “It caus-
es quite a bit of concern.”
Methamphetamine is a
very addictive stimulant
drug that activates certain
areas of the brain with
effects being more potent,
longer lasting and more
harmful to the central nerv-
ous system. Production of
the substance is hazardous
to the user and people near
its creation site, officials
said.
The drug, only available
legally through a prescrip-
tion that cannot be refilled,
is taken orally, snorted,
smoked or injected, and is
known as meth, speed,
chalk, and in certain forms
ice, crystal and glass,
according to the federal
National Institute On Drug
Abuse Web site,
www.nida.nih.gov.
There have been no
methamphetamine-related
arrests in the city as of yet,
but still rumors persist, said
Torrington Police Sgt.
Rousseau, of the Torrington
Narcotics Division.
Rousseau agreed to be
interviewed only if his first
name was not published
because of his undercover
work for the police depart-
By JENNA CIARAMELLA
Register Citizen Staff
TORRINGTON — A stronger form
of heroin is hitting the streets. The
drug is accounting for more illegal
drug overdoses and its abuse is
becoming more prevalent in younger
generations, police officials said.
“I don’t dispute that,” Torrington
Police Chief Robert
Milano said. “We do
have a share of over-
doses that are fatal.
Generally speaking,
we do get our share
of lethal and non-
lethal overdoses,
and they can be
related to a stronger
string of heroin.”
“It’s not been sig-
nificant, but over
the last year we have
probably seen a lit-
tle bit more,” said
Tim LeBouthillier,
spokesman for Char-
lotte Hungerford
Hospital in
Torrington. “Al-
though it is not an
alarming increase,
we have seen a little
bit more of those
presenting with
drug-related issues
including alcohol
and substance
abuse.”
LeBouthillier said he heard a
stronger strain of heroin might be
related to more overdoses in the
area, but he did not have statistics on
overdose or drug-related emergency
room visits.
Heroin, crack cocaine, cocaine
and marijuana are common sub-
MIC NICOSIA/Register Citizen
Decked out in early 20th-century
garb, Muriel Popham, president of
the Charlotte Hungerford Hospital
Auxiliary, laughs at the antics of
performance artist Kandie Carle
during an auxiliary-sponsored,
Victorian-theme tea party Sunday
at the Torrington Elks Lodge.
MIC NICOSIA/Register Citizen
Joe Bement of the Ancient Free & Accepted Masons of St. Andrews
Lodge 64 in Winsted works the lodge hall with a dessert tray during
Sunday’s roast beef dinner fund-raiser for local scholarships.
MONDAY, MAY 7, 2007 Our 117th Year, No. 131 50 cents
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memoralized
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Hamilton workers
approve new deal
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Recap of H.S.
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ONLINE POLL
METH’S MANY FORMS:
Clockwise from left, two
types of methamphetamine
tablets and crystals, colored
with strawberry-flavored
children’s drink mix, are
some of the stimulant’s
varied forms.
SPECIAL REPORT: DRUGS IN THE NORTHWEST CORNER
SHOOTING HEROIN: More potent and prevalent
METHAMPHETAMINE: Is it coming?
photosbystock.xchng.com
The above photo
series shows
dramatized
heroin use.
COMING TUESDAY...
A look at
statistics
for illegal
drugs in the
area and
what is
being done
to stem the
flow and
crack down
on abuse.
More overdoses
seen as heroin
grows stronger
No meth arrests, but area
may be in the crosshairs
“We do
get our
share of
lethal and
non-lethal
overdoses
and they
can be
related to
a stronger
string of
heroin.”
ROBERT
MILANO
Torrington
police chief
UP
See METH, Page A6
Masons hold fund-raising dinner
By KEVIN D. ROBERTS
Register Citizen Staff
TORRINGTON — The City
Council agenda is busy
Monday night.
Among the items on the
agenda is the vote to “accept
the recommendations from
the Purchasing Agent and the
City’s architect, O’Riordan
and Migani (Association) to
award the bid entitled
“Torrington Police Facility
Exterior Masonry
Restoration” to the low bid-
der Hollfelder Company, LLC
for $212,100.00, contingent
upon the Board of Safety’s
approval on 5/09/07.”
Hollfelder is based in
North Haven. The project
came about as a result of a
study that was done early last
fall, Police Chief Robert
Milano said Sunday night.
“Some of the brick and the
mortar was deteriorating,”
Milano said, adding that it
was becoming a safety haz-
See COUNCIL, Page A6
By KEVIN D. ROBERTS
Register Citizen Staff
TORRINGTON — The
Charlotte Hungerford Hospital
Auxiliary took a trip back to
the Victorian era in a fundrais-
er held Sunday afternoon at
the Torrington Elks.
Queen Victoria ruled
England from 1837 to 1901,
Kandie Carle of K&C
Enterprises, East Haddam,
told the guests that gathered.
Carle, who is a professional
actress, dancer and singer,
also uses her skills as a seam-
stress and her years of
research into Victorian and
Edwardian lifestyle to aid her
performance of “The Victorian
Lady,” according to informa-
tion from her organization.
Carle used vintage and
authentically reproduced
undergarments, clothing and
accessories while talking
about what life was like in the
1890s.
Many of those who gath-
ered at the Elks Club also
dressed in the style of the era,
Auxiliary President Muriel
Popham said after Carle’s per-
formance.
“I focus on the middle class
women,” Carle said. “I devel-
oped these programs because
I wanted to share what I
See TEA, Page A6
Funding
foremost
for group
Tea party
celebrates
bygone era