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Putnam Town Crier & Northeast Ledger, Putnam, CT (2026)

09/24/2026

Blessing of the Animals
Killingly - Paws Cat Shelter is holding their Annual Blessing of the Animals at Petco in Killingly Commons on Saturday, October 10 from 10am - 1pm.

Reverend Jane Emma Newall will be officiating. All pets must be secured by leash or carrier. Pet food and cash donations always welcome and greatly appreciated.

Paws is a non-profit, all volunteer organization caring for the cats of our communities. For more info or how you can donate, contact Paws at 860-315-1228.

09/24/2026

Putnam Town Crier - September 23 2026
Remember, if something is a keepsake to you, press print!

09/24/2026

Putnam Town Crier - Police.
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 860-963-0000.

Sept. 15
Mark D. Rutherford, 66, Tracy Avenue, Jewett City; illegal operation of motor vehicle without minimum insurance, illegal operation motor under suspension, failure to drive in proper lane.

Sept. 16
Laquan N. Matthews, 34, Green Street, Putnam; illegal operation of motor vehicle under suspension.

Sept. 17
Lisandro Perez, 32, Keech Street, Putnam; disorderly conduct, third-degree assault – reckless serious injury, second-degree reckless endangerment.

Sept. 18
Robert Donald Smith, 48, Ballard Road, Thompson; evading responsibility – injury/property damage.

Sept. 19
Leia Brown, 19, School Street, Putnam; disorderly conduct, violation of protective order

09/24/2026

Putnam Town Crier - Church St Rec Reno.
Moving along! Fencing, a protective acrylic layer on the asphalt, lines and it's just about there. 4 pickleball courts, one tennis court and one basketball court.
Linda Lemmon photos.

09/24/2026

Putnam Town Crier - On the Road ...
A cairn on the Quinebaug River shore.
Linda Lemmon photo.

09/24/2026

Putnam Town Crier - On the Road ...
Cattails - Pomfret.
Linda Lemmon photo.

09/24/2026

Putnam Town Crier - Woodstock Academy roundup
Woodstock Academy Roundup

Girls’ Cross Country: Centaurs open with a trio of victories on the road

WOODSTOCK --- Woodstock Academy coach Joe Banas was pretty confident going into the season-opening meet against Norwich Free Academy.

Then came the unknowns on Tuesday. The Centaurs lost No. 4 runner Bella Amlaw to injury and the Wildcats had a couple of surprises.

The Centaurs still pulled out the victory. Barely.

Woodstock prevailed by a point. 27-28.

“Much tougher,” Banas said with a shake of his head about the meet. “(NFA has) two amazing freshmen. I saw them in a two-mile race but that doesn’t transfer to a 5K. I didn’t zone in on that, but now we know.”

Sophomore Emme Langevin paced the field for the Centaurs and hit the line first in 20 minutes, 47 seconds. “Emme ran a solid race,” Banas said.

But just behind her was NFA frosh Delilah Munoz who finished 32 seconds back.

The Centaurs did take third and fourth as their freshman, Reese Rimoczy, stayed ahead of teammate Claire Bruneaux by seven seconds.

“Reese was a huge surprise,” Banas said. “I was at the mile mark and I did what I always try to do and get their mile splits, do the conversion, and see who ended up hitting the wall and who didn’t so proper pacing is ensured.”

The Wildcats captured the next five spots but Melanie Dipippo was 10th and Avery Schaefer 13th overall (Stonington and Waterford joined in the quad-meet) with no more NFA interference between to give the Centaurs the win.

“I had it scored out where even if it had finished in a tie, we would have won because our sixth (runner) was ahead of theirs,” Banas said.

The Centaurs started the season 3-0 as they also downed Waterford, 15-50 and Stonington, 18-43.

Woodstock returns to the trails in North Stonington Tuesday as the Centaurs take on host Wheeler, Ledyard, Windham and Tourtellotte.

“We need to get Bella healthy because Ledyard only lost (26-31) to East Lyme. (Ledyard) has a solid 1-2-3, a decent four but what could hurt Ledyard down the road is that the rest of their runners are a ways back right now,” Banas said.
Boys Cross Country

It was an enjoyable day for the boys’ cross-country team in Norwich.

That’s what happens when a team’s top three runners finish 1-2-3 in the race as it means an automatic win.

Such was case for the Centaurs as Lucas Hecker (17:36); Sam Greene (18:16) and Oliver Pierce (18:39) were the first to cross the line.

“It makes you relax a little,” coach Josh Welch said.

The top three finishes at Mohegan Park meant the Centaurs are off to a 3-0 start as they defeated host Norwich Free Academy, 19-38; Waterford 15-44 and Stonington 16-47.

The Mohegan Park course has a one-mile loop included in it and Hecker was able to lap some runners during the course of the meet.

“He was way out in front; no one near him. There was a young guy from NFA trying to chase him for a while but fell off pretty fast and our other guys just ate him up in the first mile,” Welch said.

Greene and Pierce were close by to each other throughout.

“Oliver is doing pretty well,” Welch said. “We’re working through some stuff with a little tendinitis early in the season from the summer. We had considering resting him for the race but he looked really strong. It will make a big difference, a much more powerful team with a strong 1-2-3 combination,” Welch said.

Keegan Denolfo finished fifth overall for the Centaurs with Carter Mydlarz in ninth.

“I think NFA was missing a couple of guys which made it a lot easier but I still think we would have secured the win. Our pack is starting to move up and I think it’s beginning\ to look pretty good. The kids ran well. We tried to let them go out really fast, set a good pace and kept everybody off and that’s pretty much what they did,” Welch said.

It doesn’t get easier on Tuesday.

The Centaurs travel to North Stonington to run against host Wheeler, Ledyard, Tourtellotte and Windham.

Ledyard is the race that’s important to the Centaurs.

“That’s the big dog in that one. They just had a meet against East Lyme and East Lyme just edged them (27-28). Ledyard looks really good this year but it’s not impossible for us to have a really great day and pack enough kids up there to make it a good, tight meet and maybe it leans our way,” Welch said

Girls: Soccer: Woodstock earns 1st two wins of the season
It was a productive week for the girls’ soccer team.

The Centaurs did not allow a goal in their two matches and scored plenty of their own.

The Centaurs finished the week with a 2-1-1 overall record and 1-0-1 in Div. I of the ECC with a 5-0 win on the road at Ledyard.

The two teams had a scoreless battle for much of the first half until Lillian Gregorzek found the back of the net with five minutes remaining.

The Centaurs picked it up from there.

Kaitlyn Teal made it a 2-0 game 13 minutes into the second half off an assist from Cameron Bennett and Avery Dumas put the clincher in nine minutes later.

That took some of the starch out of the Colonels as the Centaurs were able to add two more goals in the final minutes.

Bennett found the back of the net off a Dumas corner and Harper Simoneau accounted for the final with a goal with 23 seconds to play.

Lilah Ledogar also had an assist for the Centaurs in the win.

Woodstock picked up its first win of the season earlier in the week as it blanked Waterford, 2-0.

Lily Mioduszewski scored the first goal for the Centaurs and Kaitlyn Teal added a late insurance tally.

Boys’ Soccer: Nice week for Centaurs
After a couple of hard-fought losses in a row, the boys’ soccer team finally broke through this past week for a pair of wins

The Centaurs closed to with a game of the .500 mark with a 3-1 win Saturday morning over New London at the Bentley Athletic Complex.

The Centaurs (2-3) got a pair of early goals by Aiden Sanchez and Lochlan Curran in the first five minutes of the contest.

Matt Johndrow added one late off an assist by Curran.

The Centaurs rolled past Windham earlier in the week, 4-0.

Pedro Da Silva and Sanchez got things going early for the Centaurs.

Da Silva scored his second goal of the season just 10 minutes into the contest off an assist from Sanchez.

Just two minutes later, Sanchez sent one in off the post and it deflected over the line to make it 2-0.

Curran scored his first career goal before the end of the first half to give the Centaurs a commanding lead going into the break.

Not to be outdone. Lochlan's older brother, senior Ronan, scored his second goal of the year just before the final whistle to account for the final.

The three-game week did not start on as high a note.

Late in the first half, the Woodstock Academy faithful had reason to cheer.

Unfortunately, the East Lyme Vikings had Jubran Saad in the net. The senior knocked away two fine chances for the Centaurs.

Da Silva sent a rocket in off a corner that Saad was just able to reach out and re-direct,

Moments later, Johndrow found an opening inside the box and rifled a shot of his own, only to be denied by the East Lyme keeper.

"He's probably the only goalie in the league that could have made a save like off of Pedro's kick," said coach Dave St. Jean.

That stemming of the tide helped the Vikings hold off the Centaurs, 3-1, in a game played on the turf at the Bentley Athletic Center.

"We played extremely hard," St. Jean said. "We wanted to get the ball to the outside a bit more, hit some crosses but we lost the ball in the middle a lot and didn't get it out there enough."

Woodstock (0-1 ECC Div. I) found itself down halfway through the first half when junior Austin Greeno found enough space along the end line to force the ball past Centaurs freshman keeper Liam Forsyth.

The Vikings waited until just 1 minute, 18 seconds were left in the first half to make it a 2-0 match as senior Tom Butler converted and it was 3-0 early in the second half after a tally by Mario Cardello.

The Centaurs would get on the board just 51 seconds after the Cardello tally when Ronan Curran got his first of the season.

"We're past the moral victory part and we just want to win some games, being close is kind of done, we're ready to win," St. Jean said.

The loss followed on the heels of a hard-fought match at Norwich Free Academy the Friday before when the Centaurs took a 2-0 lead but saw it fizzle and they fell, 3-2, to the Wildcats.

"The more and more we play together, the more and more we practice, we start to get to know one another and where we like the ball," St, Jean said.

Girls’ Volleyball: Matches are close but wins hard to come by for Centaurs
It is not what the volleyball team is used to. Over the last several years, the Centaurs were usually halfway to a state tournament berth

Instead, the Centaurs are still looking for their first win after the first five matches. But all is not lost.

"I think when we see these teams again in the second go-round, I don't think it will be as quick or as easy for them. I don't think when we play Fitch again that they will beat us 3-1, if it is 3-1, the sets will be closer than they were," said coach Adam Bottone. "I fully expect to go out and beat some of these teams, I fully expect to qualify for the state tournament. I'm certainly optimistic. I think the girls are buying into the changes we've made and if they do and see the importance, we will have good results."

Bottone has had to make some lineup changes over the course of the first fifth of the season.

"On paper, it was the right lineup going in and then a couple of games in, we took a deep dive into the statistics to see where we were struggling and we made some changes and there will be growing pains because of that," he said.

The results have certainly not been horrible and Bottone feels like in every match, the Centaurs have had the ability to win.

Just this week, the Centaurs did win the first set from Fitch, 25-16.

The Falcons had to hold off Woodstock in the second set, 25-22, before building some momentum in the third set for a 25-10 victory.

But there were the Centaurs again in the fourth set as the two battled into overtime before Fitch pulled out a 30-28 win to win the match.

It may just be a matter of getting over the hump, pull out a victory, and get some confidence.

"There are a lot of girls getting playing time at this level for a first time. It's a comfort thing; understanding the game and understanding their roles and responsibilities in their positions. That will be a challenge until we get settled in and feel comfortable. Making an error is not the end of the world, someone else making an error is not the end of the world, but once you start putting errors like that together- it does become the end of the world," Bottone said.

There is also the matter of comfort with each other as much as the game.

"Last year's group was all a close-knit group of friends but this group has like pockets of friends. Getting that team chemistry and familiarity with each other just hasn't happened yet," Bottone said.

Freshman Hazel Rigney led the Centaurs with 12 kills while Payton Plasse had 29 assists and Abby Hollenbeck had 19 digs to go with her 14 service points and five aces.

The Centaurs followed that up with a 3-0 loss to probably the team to beat in Div. I of the ECC this season, Norwich Free Academy,

But there was a positive to that loss on Wednesday.

The Centaurs (0-2 ECC Div. I) had been struggling with the serve, but that got better against the Wildcats.

Woodstock only had seven service errors.

"That was a significant improvement," Bottone said. "Our passer rating was 1.8; we want that to be a 2.0, so not awful. The big issue is our inability to convert offensively and that has been the struggle since the first whistle this season. (Senior) Kennedy (McCooey) did come back to be like I expected her to be this year. She had a really good game against NFA."

McCooey finished with six kills and also contributed seven service points and three aces.

Phoebe Houston had 15 assists and Maggie Beams contributed 16 digs.

The script remained the same on Friday when Newtown came for a non-league match.

The Centaurs held off the visitors in the first set for s 28-26 win but that’s where the good news came to an end.

The Nighthawks won the next three sets 25-15, 25-19, 25-21 to capture the 3-1 victory.

McCooey had six kills and 14 digs for the Centaurs, Houston had 18 assists and Beams finished with 15 service points including three aces

Prep Soccer: Centaurs take 2 opening matches
The prep soccer teams got underway on a very wet Sunday, but, fortunately for the Centaurs, they were playing at the Day Hill Dome in Windsor.

The surroundings seemed to work out just fine as the Prep 1 soccer team opened its season with a 4-3 victory over the Northwood School.

The Prep 2 team followed with a 2-1 victory of its own over Northwood.

Haesung Kim and Richard Sarpong provided much of the firepower as each scored two goals for the Centaurs.

Kim also added an assist while Arthur Masson had a pair of helps and Mateo Iacombe added an assist as well.

The Prep 2 Centaurs picked up goals from Mack Gallagher and Raul Garcia off assists from Cairo Burgers and Jaehee Kim.

The Prep 2 Centaurs are back on the pitch on Wednesday as they host St. George's School at 3:30 p.m. on the Kelly Field on South Campus.

Football: Bristol Central doubles up on Woodstock
Momentum is fickle. It can switch sidelines in a matter of seconds.

There is no doubt that football coach Connor Elliott would agree with that.

His Centaurs experienced it on Saturday and it helped propel Bristol Central to a 42-20 win over the Centaurs in a non-league, state alliance scheduled contest.

Senior quarterback Elijah Poh, who had completed his first five passes but only mustered 10 yards in them, suddenly found Elijah Laprade open beyond his defender in the middle of the field.

Laprade outstretched his hands and the ball landed softly in them, catching it in stride, he was easily to beat his defender to the end zone for a 50-yard touchdown.

But the Centaurs had little time to celebrate.

Five plays later, Rams quarterback Gabe Ouellette went right down the middle, almost untouched, for a 53-yard score.

It illustrated a key problem for Woodstock in the game. It just didn’t tackle well.

“Football is a sport where every play someone blocks and someone tackles,” Elliott said. “We need to find a better way to do it because we’re not doing it well enough right now. We’re going to have to go back to the drawing board as a coaching staff and find some more ways. Obviously, it’s something that we have to work on safely to keep kids from getting hurt in practice. Tackling was a problem.”

After Bristol Central forced the Centaurs to punt, Ouellette uncorked another big play.

The quarterback, who finished with 244 yards rushing , found another seam and this time went 68 yards to put the Rams up, 21-7.

But the Centaurs were able to flip that momentum. At least, momentarily.

Poh (27-for-40 passing, 232 yards) engineered a 10-play drive that finished with the Woodstock quarterback scrambling and finding senior receiver Griffen Bloom open for a 4-yard touchdown pass to cut the deficit to seven points.

Momentum was back on the Centaurs bench and they should have had it going into the halftime chat.

Reinaldo Soto had other ideas.

With just 13 seconds left in the half, the junior took Wyatt Matulis’ kick at the 20, saw some daylight down the left side and raced 80 yards to put Bristol Central back up by two scores, 27-14.

It’s a tough event for any team right before the half.

“We preached special teams all week. We didn’t prepare well enough and it showed. We were playing catch up from there on,” Elliott said. “We had that good drive and I thought we managed the clock pretty well. My mindset going into that drive was not to give them the ball back. We went down and scored and that (kickoff return) happened and that hurt.”

The Centaurs weren’t done yet.

A Kai Brailsford return and a facemask penalty gave Woodstock a chance to start at the Rams 28 to open the second half.

Three plays later, the Centaurs were on the Bristol Central 39 and were forced to punt.

That allowed Bristol Central to deliver the knock-out blow.

The kick did pin Bristol Central back to his own 4-yard line but Ouellette directed a 14-play drive that took just about eight minutes and he capped it off with a score from five yards out that gave the Rams the insurmountable 35-14 advantage.

Poh did find Bloom (five catches, 62 yards) for an 18-yard score late in the third quarter but the damage was done.

The Centaurs return to their ECC schedule on Saturday as they host Fitch at 11 a.m. at the Bentley Athletic Complex.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy

Photos by Marc Allard/Woodstock Academy

Captions:
IMG 5384: Woodstock Academy senior Matt Johndrow heads the ball forward as the Centaurs tried to go on the attack in a 3-1 loss to East Lyme.

IMG 5399: Freshman Lochlan Curran dribbles the ball downfield in a 4-0 win over Windham.

IMG 5395: Senior Tyler Odorski kicks the ball downfield.

IMG 5382: East Lyme senior Matthew Salek (3) and Woodstock Academy senior Matt Johndrow collide during the match between the two teams.

09/24/2026

Putnam Town Crier - DKH Golf Tourney.
Day Kimball Hospital Centreville Bank Golf Classic a Success

PUTNAM --- The 42nd Annual Day Kimball Hospital Centreville Bank Golf Classic was a success.
The Winners:
1st Place – Team of Roger Noll, Pat Kozelka, Scott Vose, and Sean Vigue with a gross score of 54
2nd Place – ReMax Team of Brendan Meehan, Jared Meehan, Mike Meehan, and Luke Milanese with a gross score of 55
3rd Place – ERW Team of Andrew Whittenburg, Hayden Yaworski, Rick Bryn, and Justin Howland with a gross score of 56, matching cards

Closest to the Pins
Hole #4 – Ryan Greczkowski, 2’3”
Hole #9 – Wesley Pratt, 2’11”
Hole #11 – Brandon Greczkowski, 2’6”
Hole #15 – Jeff Ploughman, 3’9.5”
Hole of Fortune “Shoot for the Loot”

Hal Horvat, president and CEO of Centreville Bank, was the sole winner of the $1,000 prize pool and generously donated it back to the hospital.

09/24/2026

Putnam Town Crier - Obituaries
Anita (Loos) Brock

Anita (Loos) Brock, 97, passed away peacefully on Sept. 15, 2026, at Pierce Memorial Baptist Nursing Home in Brooklyn. She was born on Aug. 15, 1929, in Pomfret, the daughter of the late August and Edith Loos, and was a lifelong resident of the town she loved.

Anita grew up in Pomfret and began her education at the Chandler School on Brayman Hollow Road. She later attended the North School and graduated from Putnam High School in 1947. While at Putnam High, Anita was a cheerleader and enjoyed playing golf. After graduation, she began her working career with the telephone company. When the company moved to New Haven, Anita went to work for Tatem Manufacturing in Eastford.

In 1952, Anita married the love of her life, George Brock. They shared a life centered around family, faith, and their Pomfret community until George's passing in 1986. Anita and George could often be found on the dance floor and the ease with which they floated across the floor was the envy of all those watching.

Anita devoted much of her life to caring for and nurturing others. She worked for 26 years as a teaching assistant at Pomfret Community School, retiring in 1999. She loved working with children and took great pride in helping them learn and grow. Her kindness, patience, and genuine affection for her students left an indelible mark on the many children and families whose lives she touched.

Family was the heart of Anita's life. She led a simple and meaningful life and cherished nothing more than being surrounded by her large, loving, and loud family. Family gatherings were among her favorite occasions, filling her home, and her children’s homes, with conversation, laughter, and memories. She was a devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother who took great joy in watching her family grow through the generations.

She leaves seven children: Gary Brock (Melody) of Pomfret; Donna Campagna (Ralph) of Eastford; Linda Mathieu of Woodstock; Diane Weiss (Dick) of Thompson; Wendy Stocks (Dean) of Putnam; Gregory Brock (Tonya) of Pomfret; Laurie Auclair (Timothy) of Putnam and her sister-in-law, Joan Loos of Pomfret and Naples, Fla.

She also leaves her beloved grandchildren, Kyle (Kerry), Ashley, Christopher, Benjamin, Lindsay (Nate), Emily (Ian), Julia, Matthew (Dina), Sean (Crystal), Ryan (Caitlin), Alexander (Elena), Logan, Justine, Josie (Justin), and her cherished great-grandchildren, Coraline, Kelsey, Connor B., Oliver, Isla, Luca, Lilian, Connor W., Evan, Adam, Eloise, Juniper, Lorelai, and Quinn; nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Anita was predeceased by her husband, George Brock; her brother, August “Gus” Loos; her sons-in-law, Peter Mathieu and Charles "Chuck" Hutchins; and her partner and long-time companion, Floyd "Nick" Loomis.

Faith was another important part of Anita's life. She was a lifelong member of the First Congregational Church of Pomfret, where she sang in the choir and served as a deacon and Sunday School superintendent and teacher for many years. She was always willing to lend a hand and was instrumental in helping to organize and run the church's bake sales, rummage sales, and annual church fair. Her service to the church was an expression of the same generosity and sense of community that characterized her life.

Anita enjoyed the simple pleasures of life. She loved gardening, bird watching, and acrylic painting. She enjoyed traveling and was fortunate to take memorable trips to Sweden, Florida, Washington, and Oregon, as well as a Caribbean cruise. She was an avid reader, and even after macular degeneration made reading difficult, she continued to enjoy books through recordings and books on tape.

Those who knew Anita will especially remember some of her specialty dishes. She was famous in her family for her delicious apple pie and homemade macaroni and cheese. She also loved watching cooking shows on television, always interested in new recipes and ideas.

Anita had a wonderful sense of style and took pride in always looking her best. Even in her later years at the nursing home, she believed there was no reason not to be put together. Her lipstick was on, her clothes were in order, and not a hair was out of place. It was one of the many charming qualities that made Anita uniquely herself.

Anita's life was not one of extravagance, but one of love, faith, family, service, and quiet devotion. She found joy in the people around her and gave generously of herself to her family, her church, her students, and her community. The legacy she leaves is found not only in her seven children and the generations that followed, but also in the countless children she taught, the friends she made, and the many lives she touched throughout her 97 years.

The family wishes to thank the wonderful caretakers and friends who helped her later in life: Melody and David Chase who picked her up at Pierce Sunday after Sunday to take her to church; Rose, Irena, and Jan from Little River Acres, and the amazing staff at Pierce Memorial Baptist Home in Brooklyn, especially Gloria, Connor, Kim, Tonya, Amy, Rose, and Nancy.

Visitation is from 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 1 at the Smith and Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam. The funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Oct. 2 at the First Congregational Church of Pomfret, 13 Church Road, Pomfret Center. Donations: The First Congregational Church of Pomfret, 13 Church Road, Pomfret Center; Paws Cat Shelter, 74 School St. Putnam, CT; or The Bradley Playhouse, PO Box 71 Putnam, CT.

Daniel D. Blanchette
POMFRET --- Daniel D. Blanchette, 39, passed unexpectedly Sept. 14, 2026.
He was born March 10, 1987, to Dennis and Janet Blanchette in Putnam. As the oldest of three siblings, he was the first one to bear a machete and could be found collecting rocks or reading an epic fantasy novel. He was a Boy Scout of Troop 25 for many years. Dan attended high school at Marianapolis Prep, graduating in 2004. He went on to attend UConn earning dual degrees in civil engineering and German.
Daniel was an avid rock climber and outdoor enthusiast. He often climbed in Rumney, N.H., Hueco Tanks, Texas, and Bishop, Calif. He played guitar and loved live music. Daniel was a civil engineer and owner of J&D Site Designs LLC in Thompson. He was always generous and kind to everyone he crossed paths with.
He was loved by his wife, Lisa and children, Brett and Bridget. Daniel and Lisa met rock climbing atop Pidgeon Mountain in Georgia on a UConn rock climbing trip in 2010. They began their life together with a yearlong road trip, and a stint living in Santa Barbara, Calif., before settling down in Pomfret. Daniel and Lisa shared a love for homestead life, cultivating their land with gardens, fruit bushes, and chickens. Dan was an amazing father and always found time to spend with his children and family.
Daniel also leaves his parents Janet and Dennis Blanchette, sisters Ellen Blanchette and Alison Luong, and their families.
Services to honor and celebrate his life were Sept. 20 at Gilman Funeral Home & Crematory, 104 Church St., Putnam. Donations: AccessFund.org; Ragged Mountain Foundation; or Western Mass Climbing Coalition

Paul Joseph Lefebvre
WOODSTOCK --- Paul Joseph Lefebvre, 83, of Cornfield Point, died Sept. 5, 2026. He was the loving husband of Joanne Ashton for many years. Born March 18, 1943, in W. Warwick, R.I., he was the son of the late Louis and Rose (Lamoureux) Lefebvre.

Paul owned and operated New England Curtain for many years. After retirement Paul kept busy with many projects. He spent countless hours flipping houses, collecting coins, and volunteering for March of Dimes, including some time on the committee. Paul truly enjoyed the time he was able to spend with family and friends, especially when it involved a friendly card game — and without fail, one of his favorite jokes, told for the hundredth time and loved just as much as the first. Paul loved traveling to Florida to visit with his brother George, sister-in-law Diane, and their numerous friends at The Villages in Lady Lake.

He leaves three sons, Scott Lefebvre (Debbie) of Putnam, Kevin Lefebvre of Nashua, N.H., Tyler Lefebvre (Katie Kresic) of Farmington; his niece, who was like a daughter to Paul, Tracy A. Lefebvre of Danielson; brother, George Lefebvre (Diane) of Venice, Fla.; three sisters-in-law, Claudette Lefebvre of Thompson, Julie MacDonald (Neil) of Willington, Lori Ashton (Steve Dreikosen) of Framingham, Mass.; two granddaughters, Monique Lefebvre and Jessica Lefebvre; nieces, nephews, and extended family. He was predeceased by his brothers, Robert Lefebvre, Joseph Lefebvre, and Gerard Lefebvre.

Services are private. Gilman and Valade Funeral Homes and Crematory, 104 Church St., Putnam.

09/24/2026

Putnam Town Crier - Fall Foliage Outlook.
Autumn Leaves: When is Our ‘Postcard’ Season Arriving?

By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
With the first official day of fall “gone by” New Englanders’ thoughts turn not to spring but What kind of show will the leaves put on for us.

According to UConn Extension Service officials, fall pageantry will probably be a bit sooner than usual in northern Connecticut.

Tom Worthley, Extension forester, said in an extension post that the change and the vibrancy of the leaves depend on three factors: moisture levels, temperature and the change in the balance between daylight and darkness.

“Based on current conditions, Connecticut’s peak foliage season may arrive slightly later than some early forecasts suggest. Adequate moisture and relatively warm temperatures have allowed trees to continue photosynthesizing through much of the late summer season. As a result, peak color may not occur until mid-to-late October, particularly in southern and coastal areas of the state. Northern Connecticut and higher elevations could see color emerge a bit sooner.”

He said green leaves are hard at work through spring, summer and early fall. They’re absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, making energy for growth, and release oxygen. The fall foliage season begins when that process starts to wind down.
As (green) chlorophyll starts shutting down, the pigments and sugars below that become visible.

Varieties with red hiding underneath the fading chlorophyll include: Sugar maples, red maples, white oak and northern red oak. In the yellow leaf camp are: Birch, aspen, poplar, elm, ginkgo and silver maple. On the darker side of red-purplish are: Serviceberry, sweet gum, black gum and crimson king maple.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said cool night temperatures just above freezing (about 45 degrees) trap the sugars inside the leaf while stopping the sap from flowing back into the tree. NOAA’s take on peak viewing is Oct. 14-20.

Changes in moisture, temperatures and the daylight’s exit affect different trees differently.

Worthley said: “Birch trees, for example, are particularly sensitive to moisture conditions. During dry late summers, they can begin turning yellow earlier than usual. This year, however, regularly spaced rainfall events have helped maintain soil moisture, allowing many trees to remain green and productive later into the season. Maples respond strongly to shortening daylight hours. As days become shorter, color development progresses regardless of weather conditions. Oaks, on the other hand, tend to be more sensitive to temperature. If temperatures remain above freezing well into the fall, many oaks may hold onto their green leaves deep into October and even November.”

Accuweather thinks signs point to a beautiful autumn. ”Wet weather in late spring and early summer followed by drier conditions and cooler nights heading into autumn could set the stage for vibrant color.”

Weather conditions in the spring, summer and early fall do affect fall’s splendor, Worthley said, but current weather conditions can also affect it. “A prolonged dry spell could prompt certain species, including birches, aspens, cottonwoods, and cherries, to enter dormancy more quickly. Conversely, continued rainfall could help extend the growing season and delay widespread color change. A sudden hard frost would create a different outcome altogether. An abrupt freeze can quickly halt photosynthetic activity, effectively locking pigments and sugars into the leaves. When that happens, colors may emerge more rapidly and appear especially vibrant, although the display often lasts for a shorter period.”

And he added some good news: The foliar fungus that turned maple leaves brown has retreated so we may see the brilliant reds again from the maple trees. And this year’s productive growing season will be good news for maple syrup fans. “Strong foliage production may even be a promising sign for next winter’s maple sugaring season.”

In the land of “New England Weather – Wait Five Minutes” it could be mid-October or maybe earlier or maybe later.

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environment keeps an eye on it.
For info go to:
https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/37fd12fa3a7e46b0ba0da404496cb0ea

Whenever it comes, just enjoy it. We live in a postcard!

Linda Lemmon photos. Graphic from the web.

Putnam Town Crier & Northeast Ledger

09/24/2026

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