Record-Journal du lieu suivant : Meriden, Connecticut • M1

AP Abby 15 Bridge 15 Business 8 Classified 24 Comics 28 Crossword 27 Editorial 16 Horoscope 25 Local News 11 Lottery 12 Movies A7 Obituaries 12 Sports 19 State News 3 Television A12 Mostly cloudy, snow developing by late morning; highs in the lower 30s. Tonight: Cold. Page 18. http://www.record-journal.com a a i i i i On this date in 1836, Texas declared its independence from Mexico. In 1917, Puerto Ricans were granted U.S.

citizenship. 139th Year, No. 61 Meriden, Connecticut, Thursday, March 2, 2006 MERIDEN WALLINGFORD SOUTHINGTON CHESHIRE win Rehab Bowl? Platt and Maloney, longtime rivals in sports, are now vying to see which school will be first for renovations Chris French Record-JournalDave Zajac Record-Journal TATS: latt High Built in 1958. Received major additions in 1971, including additional academic wing and pool. 237,603 square feet.

Enrollment (Jan. 2006): 1,142. Still has original electrical and fire systems that do not meet codes or needs; no sprinkler system; few visual fire alarms. Roof leaked in Dec. 2003.

Leaks forced closing of school for hree days. aloney High Built in 1958. Received major additions in 1971, including additional academic wing and pool. 241,548 square feet. Enrollment (Jan.

2006): 1,320. Still has original electrical and fire systems that do not meet codes or needs; no sprinkler system; few visual fire a larms.Has a third floor at rear of building. Roof leaked in Feb. 2003. Received new roof in 2005.

Ward run again GOP legislator to seek Jennifer Manes Record-Journal staff Local Republicans were hocked Wednesday to learn that state House Minority Leader Robert M. Ward, R- North Branford, would ot seek another term in ovember. Ward, who epresents part of Wallingford, has served 11 terms in the state House. The 53-year- ld father of four has been the House minority leader for the ast 12 years, making him the longest-serving legislative leader in Connecticut history. have loved the challenges of leading this amazing caucus, but there comes a time to look for new Ward told the Associated Press.

me, that time has Wallingford Town Council Chairman Robert F. Parisi said Ward was a great leader for the Republican Party. frankly, always had the deepest respect for Representative said Parisi, a Republican. thought Ward By Amanda Falcone Record-Journal staff MERIDEN It will be the high schools first but which one? he Board of Education plans to focus on badly needed code updates or full renovations to Platt and Maloney high schools rather than a major expansion of the full-day kindergarten program, board President Frank J. Kogut said this week.

But to avoid simultaneous cons truction projects, the school board is in the difficult position of deciding which school to renovate first. The conditions of Platt and Maloney, both built in 1958 and last renovated in 1971, are so similar a coin toss may be the only way to decide, Kogut said. Whoever loses out will have to wait at least two or three years before the second renovation project begins, according to Glen A. Lamontagne, assistant superintendent for fin ance and administration. As would be expected of the crosstown rivals, the question took on a competitive dynamic after chool Wednesday.

We need it students at both schools said. seen Platt, and Maloney eeds a lot more than according to Taylor Gonzalez, a Maloney unior. I know about Maloney, about how bad it Alicia Mansolf, a junior at Platt, said. see a lot of problems The board announced Tuesday it would alter plans to expand all-day kindergarten, saying its priority is renovating the high schools. The renovations long Kogut said.

Leaky roofs have plagued the aging buildings. Code updates are also needed. The board has said it will hire an architect to inspect both buildings. The architect will recommend either code updates or full ren vations. Any construction on the first building will not begin for about wo years, Kogut said.

Neither school has a sprinkler sys em, and the buildings both have their original electrical systems. is not necessarily a safety issue, but newer systems will make it Which should be renovated first, Maloney or Platt and why? What specifically would you like to see addressed in a renovation project or code update? rite On! What do you send your thoughts to journal.com or Write The ecord-Journal, 11 Crown Meriden 06450. Please be sure to i nclude your full name and town. Look for your comments in the Sunday paper. Please see win? 4 Coming Friday in USA eekend: Blogs from the battlefield offer an unprecedented look at life in the war zone.

The author of examines the impact of these first-person accounts. USA Weekend columnists pick their Oscar faves. Local State: One day after losing his contract, the director of the WHA was back on the job. is an issue between board members and unfortunately caught in the he said. Page 11.

Please see Ward 4 Southington youth football leagues mull merging By Jesse D. Smolin Record-Journal staff SOUTHINGTON While the future of organized youth football is certain, where children will play the game is under discussion. There are now two youth football leagues in town the Southington Valley Midget Football League, which plays at Recreation Park, and the Southington Midget Football League, which plays at Memorial Park. As both leagues have grown since their inceptions almost 50 years ago each league has 300 to 400 players their demand for space has also grown. Both parks have one football field.

The Southington Midget Football League also shares its space with Southington Northern Baseball, a youth baseball Please see Youth 4 Bush makes surprise stop in Afghanistan By Terence Hunt Associated Press KABUL, Afghanistan Flying fast and low, U.S. helicopters skimmed just above dusty fields dotted with bombed-out remnants of war. Door- gunners gripped machine guns, watching for any threat from the ground or the air. The mission: Safely ferry President Bush on his surprise visit to boost fragile democracy. Violence and suicide bombings are on the rise in Afghanistan, and Bush would be a prized target for al-Qaida and Taliban militants driven into hiding by the U.S.-led invasion.

This is the country where Osama bin Laden trained terrorists and plotted the attacks against America on Sept. 11, 2001. Bush seemed unfazed by the security risks as he moved quickly around Kabul for four hours, meeting with President Hamid Karzai, U.S. Embassy workers and American and foreign forces at Bagram Air Base. He expressed unwavering confidence that bin Laden will be captured despite years of fruitless manhunts for the elusive terrorist leader who Please see Bush makes surprise stop 4 Joseph Barker dies at 83; a businessman and philanthropist active in his community By Mary Ellen Godin Record-Journal business editor MERIDEN His father came from Lithuania with 95 cents in his pocket and a flair for the grocery business.

But Julius son, Joseph Barker, helped expand the Barker retail brand and made his own name as an entrepreneur, community activist, philanthropist, father and friend. Joseph Barker, with his brother Earl, built the Meriden Parkade, the former home of Super Market on East Main Street, and went on to other projects in this city and other towns. Joseph Barker died after a brief illness at MidState Medical Center Tuesday at 83. (Please see obituary on page 12.) was very sad to hear of said childhood friend Walter A. Shamock Jr.

played sandlot kickball together and would hunt together at City Park. If you needed a helping hand, Joe was Joseph Barker was the third of five sons of the late Julius and Sophie (Kaller) Barker. Born here on Aug. 16, 1922, he attended city schools and served in the U.S. Army from 1942 to 1946, serving as a first sergeant in the 711th Tank Battalion in the Pacific.

He saw action in Leyte and was injured in combat on Okinawa, where he earned a Purple Heart. Barker joined his father in the grocery business in 1946 at on the corner of Colony Street and Kensington Avenue. In 1954, he helped move the store into a larger space on Colony Street, and in 1960 he and Earl Barker teamed to build Super Market on East Main Street. They also developed the plaza, the Meriden Parkade, which went on to house several discount department stores, most recently Ames, and now is home to Ocean State Job Lot. He was married to the late Edith (Edelson) Barker, and the couple had three children: Michael Barker of West Hartford, Lisa Rosenfield of Bloomfield and Merle Gandolfo of Cheshire.

have asked for a better said Michael Barker. many people in town that I bump into have told me their first job was in the grocery store, starting as teenagers some worked there all their Joseph Barker retired from the grocery business in 1974 and went on to build office buildings on Pomeroy Avenue near Research Parkway. was a forthright and determined City Planner Dominick Caruso said. going to be missed. He had the city at heart and did a great job on his Barker was also active in religious and civic organizations.

He was a past president of Temple Barker Please see Joseph Barker 4.