Record-Journal from Meriden, Connecticut • M1

Page 9 MERIDEN WALLINGFORD SOUTHINGTON CHESHIRE MecoirdJJoiLiiiriiiieiIl Meriden, Connecticut, Monday, May 1 1 2009 www.myrecordjournal.com Yankees bounce back with 5-3 win over No. 131 Her vocation is education 142nd year, Charter panel's work is finished Wallingford council has last say before vote Franciscan nun heads Maloney science dept. By Jeffery Kurz Record-Journal staff riP; III III aT Sr By Dave Moran Record-Journal staff WALLINGFORD The Charter Revision Commission has filed its final draft of a revised Town Charter with the Town Clerk's Office, effectively passing the ball off to the Town Council, which will now have final approval of the document before it heads to a public vote in November. Talk About "We're done," Jeffrey Knickerbocker, chairman of the nine-member commission, energetically proclaimed last week, adding that he was pleased and extremely satisfied with the thought and at-tentiveness that his fellow commissioners paid the issues. I think everybody worked very well together and didn't let personal politics get in the way of important issues." MERIDEN For the past decade, Sister Frances Zajac has been teaching at Maloney High School wearing the habit of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist She's chairwoman of the school's 10-teacher science department and teaches general science, anatomy, chemistry and biology.

While it is unusual for a nun to be teaching at a public school, hardly anyone at Maloney gives it a second thought Whether it's parents, students or colleagues, "nobody bats an said Jennifer Straub, an assistant principal. "All anybody gets is that deep sense of concern for the child," Straub said. "That's what you walk away with, a deep sense of how much she cares." Sister Frances was known as Joelle Zajac in 1984, when she graduated from Maloney, where she'd been a stellar athlete, earning 10 varsity letters. Last year, she was inducted into the Maloney Sports Hall of Fame. She was the last Franciscan sister to be given a name before the onset of the new millennium.

There are three options when you become a sister, she explained: You can keep your baptismal name, request one or be given one. She was given the name Frances. At the risk of pointing out the obvious, to be given the name Frances by the Franciscan Sisters is special. "It is a big honor," Mother Shaun Vergauwen said. "It conies out of the fact that Saint Francis loved nature and creation," said Mother Shaun, who is Mother General and co-founder and former executive director of the Franciscan Life Center in Meriden.

That love "shows in her science, love of animate and everything she does," Mother Shaun said. Sister Frances attends prayer or Mass early every morning before heading to Maloney during the school year, and then Mass or prayer when she returns to the convent in the late afternoon. Being a nun has made her a better teacher, Sister Frances said. "I think the kids know that I care about them, and just by being religious it comes out more," she said. "I think the kids can see the genuine- Please see Her vocation 2 State law mandates that once the ballot has been filed with the town, the council must hold a public hearing on the issue within 45 days, to give residents another chance to express their views on the subject, beyond the series of public hearings held by the commission.

But council Chairman Michael Brodinsky said he expects the hearing to occur much sooner than that. "I don't think we're going to wait 45 days for the Brodinsky said. "That will kick things ahead, and after we Please see Charter 6 Which parent would you rather have move into your home? Cast your vote at -t WML Dave Zajac Raoord-Journal Sister Frances Zajac, a Franciscan Sister of the Eucharist, heads the science department at a public high school, Maloney High School in Meriden. Here she holds a deer skull. ffrecotdounwtforri Old park, new look on opening day Book lovers welcome back an old friend By Richie Rathsack Record-Journal staff WALLINGFORD After taking a four-year sabbatical, the optimistic founder of Bar-nett Books store has opened a new bargain book shop just up the street from the old lo cation.

While it is about 20 years old, the Wipe Out is new to Compounce. It previously spun heads at a theme park in Pittsburgh. The colorful ride boasts a backdrop made of photographs of the lake and a circle of 20 seats that fit four each. After all are strapped in, the ride elevates and spins to the sounds of feelgood music while teetering back and forth before coming to a stop and spinning in place. "While it is not an entirely new ride it is still new to us," Brick said.

"It took is over six figures to dismantle it and move it here. It is a great addition because it holds riders 42 inches tall and up. Everyone can be involved." Splash Harbor, home to the new three new Tunnel Twisters, will not start saturating sweltering patrons until the pools are Please see Park 6 By Stephanie O'Connell Record-Journal staff Lake Compounce Theme Park opened its gates for the first time on Saturday, welcoming a large crowd and just the right amraint of sunshine. The park, which straddles the Bristol-Sou thington line, boasts three new rides this year Jolly Jester, Wipe Out and Tunnel Twisters along with new food stands anH building renovations. "Everything that is new this year is great for families," General Manager Jerry Brick said.

"We had the opportunity to put in rides that would appeal to all and not just to certain height limitations. I am always going jump on an opportunity like that" The Jolly Jester is inside the circus-themed Kids Land. After walking up a ramp decorated with colorful clown faces, chil- Sunday, the second day of the new store's second weekend, got off to a slow start, perhaps because of Mother's Day, John Barnett speculated. As the afternoon went on, more and more customers came in to confirm that their favorite store was back. The name of this new store is J.B.

Bargain Books, though, not Barnett Books, which went out of business in Rob Beecher Record-Journal The Jolly Jester, a new ride just for children, proved popular on Lake Compounce Theme Park's opening day. December. "I thought it was really cooL I missed it," Linda Birmingham said after malring a few purchases to stock up on reading material before a trip to Holland. "My mom said she saw something in the Record-Journal about the dren jump on board a miniature ship and go back and forth in pendulum-like fashion. "That was so much fun," 6- year-old Marc Rodriguez of Water bury said.

"We went up and down and up and down again. I am going to ride again." Please see Book 0 Inside: Outside: ia 1 1 in a rv i i 'r' nuuv io isiusswuiu nu usuuuB is ouuiis ouii euiu uuuus uubv. ii mis uio miu- vu Bridge 13 Editorial 18 Local News. 3, 15 Movies 13 State 3 upper 60s. Partly doudy and seasonably cool Comics 14 Front Porch 23 Lottery 3 Obituaries 16 Sudoku 13 tonight lows in the mid-408.

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