Montville - Covering the news in Montville hasn't been as sunny as I had hoped in these past months. Lately, news coverage in town has been clouded with daily updates on the mudslide situation at Podurgiel Lane, shallow wells near Oxoboxo Lake thought to be caused by drawdowns by Smurfit-Stone Container Corp., political controversy, town ethics and lawsuits. Recent events have kept the media outlets on their toes.
Montville has slowly turned into a town where television media park at Podurgiel Lane and Town Hall, and Attorney General Richard Blumenthal's face splashes the news pages.
Some residents in Montville have had their lives turned upside down. Therese and Joseph Dunn of Podurgiel Lane have been spotlighted just as much as the mayor recently. But Therese said she's thankful for the news coverage because without it she said she's not sure if they'd get the help the residents needed and they'd be "still stuck in the mud."
Therese said that at times the media have been overwhelming, visiting the neighborhood every day for updates, but overall, she said, the newspapers and television were instrumental in them getting help.
When the mudslide draped onto lawns of residents near the Montville Commons construction project, individuals evacuated their homes. Just imagine hearing a knock on your door from the police at 11 p.m. to leave your home. These residents must have had many fears leaving behind their homes, not knowing if they'd come back to find shelter.
Now, more than a month later, these residents are still living a nightmare, and the media frenzy continues. While it's true that it may be hard to draw your notebook and pen away when people are so emotional about their situation and crisis, it's also true that many more good things than bad things are happening in Montville.
The Montville High School marching band has been excelling in local band competitions, sweeping first place and charging up their fans. Faces of spirited band members playing their instruments would make "good television." More may even tune into the news to try to catch a glimpse of their son or daughter playing their heart out on the saxophone.
Recently, a portion of Route 2A was dedicated to a fallen officer of the Montville Police Department, Joseph "Sach" Sachatello III. Family and friends gathered at the police station to reveal the highway sign, which was a tribute to him. Law enforcement officers came from all over to honor one of Montville's best. Police cruisers lined the road, and I found it truly amazing to see the many lives the officer had touched.
This year the Montville Fair committee worked hard to transform Camp Oakdale into a new location for the fairgrounds. The fair had double the vendors, more entertainment and amusements. The group has already begun planning for the following year to be even better. A great moment to capture might have been as Montville Citizen of the Year William Allen and Little Miss Montville, Ashley Flowers, cut the ribbon before a herd of fairgoers rushed in with excitement spilling on their faces.
Those stories are just some that deserve to be highlighted, for they are pieces of what makes Montville a special town. Unfortunately, sensationalism almost always wins when it comes to front-page news. But time will pass, and the problems at Podurgiel Lane will be solved and other difficult situations in town may then arise. However, Montville has been and will always remain a close community, which has many chapters to tell.
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