The foursome of Chad Eaton, Sigler, Rick Rittaco and Len Szczesny captured the Fourth of July Scramble at the Newtown Country Club with a round of 58.

By KIM HARMON

Published: Jul 15, 2005 12:00 am

Randy Watkins, Cramer Owen, John Satshinsky and Madeline Ripley followed in second place, one stroke off the pace. Other top finishers included the foursome of Ray Ormsbee, Jack Refferty, Jeff Parker and Rafferty (60); Scooch Dunleavy, Sherry Buczek, Connie Watkins and George Ripley (61); Chip Mason, Dick Thomas, Kathy Ries, Dr Robert Grossman and Brian Grossman (61).

Meanwhile, George Thim aced the par-3 17th hole.

At the Wednesday Night Scramble on July 6, Mike Lavelle, Susan Paulin and Pam Sidlowsky finished first with a round of 30. Other top finishers included the threesome of Lionel Brown, Cramer Owen and Joy Brewster (32); Rimas Balsys, Bob Osterman and Mac MacDonald (32).

Pat Burke and Wayne Ramey won the two-man (gross) Best Ball Tournament on July 2 with a 2-over par 70 while Ed Sidlowsky and Charlie Walsh carded a 3-over 71. Scooch Dunleavy and Bob Chamberland won first place, net, with a round of 56 while Connie Watkins and Nancy Belanger finished second, also at 56.

Bob Chamberland, Ed Sidlowsky, Bob Nelson and Charlie Walsh won closest to the pin awards.

Don Baker and Ed Sidlowsky won the two-man (gross) Best Ball Tournament on July 3 with a round of 64 while Bob Paugh and Bill Girard captured first place, net, with a round of 58. Paul Payne, Don Baker, Joe Lacava and Charlie Walsh won closest to the pin awards.

In the recent Club Championship qualifying, Don Baker carded a 1-under 67 to lead the Regular Division. He was followed by Sam Saxton (69), Wayne Ramey (71), Ed Sidlowsky (76), Bill Hibbard (80), Ron Lemme (80), Mike Leahey (80) and Pat Burke (80).

Bob Chamberland carded a 13-over 81 in the Senior Division and he was followed by Bob Osterman (84), Dick Thomas (84), Paul Payne (87), Don Argersinger (89) and John Cerreta (92).

Buick Championship

HARTFORD â Eight players who have won major championships on the PGA Tour have committed to play in the 2005 Buick Championship, scheduled for August 22-28 at the TPC at River Highlands in Cromwell, CT.

The recent commitments include Paul Azinger, Mark Brooks, Mark Calcavecchia, Steve Elkington, Lee Janzen, Larry Mize, Scott Simpson and Jeff Sluman.

âThe list of recent player commitments includes quite an impressive group of major champions,â said Larry Wilder, 2005 tournament chairman. âAs a group, these eight players have amassed over $92 million in earnings over their PGA careers. We are proud to announce they will all be competing at this yearâs Buick Championship.â

Other PGA Tour players who have previously committed to play in the 2005 Buick Championship include defending champion Woody Austin, Darren Clarke, Fred Funk, David Howell, Joe Ogilvie, Geoff Ogilvy, Kenny Perry, Tim Petrovic, Chris Riley and Lee Westwood.

Born in Holyoke, Massachusetts, Paul Azinger will be making his 19th trip to Hartford this year. The fan favorite and Florida State alum has won twice in Hartford, the first coming at the 1987 Canon Sammy Davis Jr. Greater Hartford Open, and the second just two years later in 1989.

A four-time Ryder Cup member, âZingerâ has 12 career victories on the PGA Tour, including at least one victory each year from 1987 to 1993. Azingerâs best year proved to be 1993 when he notched three victories, including his only major win at the PGA Championship, defeating Greg Norman in a playoff.

In 1995 he was the recipient of the GWAA Ben Hogan Award, which goes to an individual who has continued to be active in golf despite physical handicap or serious illness. This award was a testament to the hard work and dedication that Azinger put forth in his battle with cancer. So far in 2005, Azinger has been splitting time between the golf course and the announcers booth, working as a color commentator for PGA Tour event broadcasts on ABC Sports alongside Nick Faldo and Mike Tirico.

Mark Brooks won the 1988 Canon Sammy Davis, Jr. GHO for his first victory on the PGA Tour. He has added six more titles including the 1996 PGA Championship when he finished third on the Tour money list with three wins and a little over $1.4 million.

Brooks lost in an exciting U.S. Open playoff at Southern Hills in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 2001. His round of 72 was two strokes shy of Retief Goosen in an 18-hole playoff that went down to the last hole. He has hosted the W. Hal Brooks Memorial Golf Tournament and Gala for 11 years in his hometown of Fort Worth, Texas.

Mark Calcavecchia will be making his 24th appearance in Hartford. He has 11 Tour victories, including the 1989 British Open Championship. His last win came at the 2001 Phoenix Open when he shot a record 28-under par. It was his third victory at that event.

âCalcâ has earned over $1 million in six of the last seven years on the Tour. He has been a member of four Ryder Cup teams and has five international victories to his credit. He has finished fifth or better seven times in his career in Hartford.

His 2004 campaign included two top-tens, one coming at the FUNAI Classic at the Walt Disney World Resort and the other at the Ford Championship at Doral. To date in 2005, his best finish has been a T2 at the Chrysler Classic of Tucson. He has over $17 million in career earnings.

The Buick Championship, New Englandâs premier sporting event, is one of the PGA Tourâs best attended events, having averaged more than 250,000 spectators annually over the last 10 years. The tournament â the chief fundraiser for the Greater Hartford Jaycees â has raised more than $24 million for Hartford area charities since itâs inception in 1952.

Visit the official tournament web site at www.buickchampionship.com.

Patricia Anzellotti

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It seems a lot of the discussion around the flagpole focuses on vilifying drivers who pass on the right, but the real issue is being overlooked. If Chapter 248 Section 14-251 were enforced, we wouldn’t see this problem to begin with. That statute prohibits stopping in the middle of a roadway to yield to cross traffic—as so often happens with cars waiting to turn from Church Hill. When vehicles stop illegally in the travel lane, they effectively create a blockage. Other drivers then either sit through unnecessary delays or carefully pass around them on the right, which is fully permitted when the vehicle ahead is “illegally parked” in the roadway. Instead of punishing drivers reacting to the obstruction, enforcement should focus on the cause: vehicles unlawfully stopping and backing up traffic in the first place. If that behavior were addressed, the need to “go around” would largely disappear.

Borough Board of Burgesses Continues Traffic Safety Discussion

John, you raise an important point — these situations are tragic, complicated, and often far less clear-cut than the headlines make them seem. In the Fredericksburg case, the full facts still aren’t publicly known, and like so many of these stories, there’s conflicting information. It was apparently the back door at 3 a.m. — was it justified to use deadly force? We don’t know yet. What we do know is that the homeowner has been charged, and as you rightly noted, that is very serious. But this is also where perspective matters. These cases are quickly sensationalized in the news and on social media, yet when the dust settles, the outcomes are rarely publicized. People forget that in our system, you are innocent until proven guilty. Try to find much coverage of the convication in the case of the Fairfield Realtor vehicle homicide, or updates on the woman who shot her husband a couple of Christmases ago, or even the pedestrian death in Sandy Hook a year or so back. The follow-through simply isn’t there, and public opinion is often shaped only by the first round of headlines. At the end of the day, these situations remind us how split-second decisions in the middle of the night can change lives forever — which is exactly why the right to protect one’s property, home and family is so fiercely debated, and lucky constitutionally protected.

Late Night Prank Gone Wrong

First the low hanging fruit. Dave; it was a joke, please get over it. You are the only person in Newtown that thought I really wanted to build a stadium on 6 Commence Rd. Now on to Alex. You might not appreciate my writing style or my selection of words, but let's not loose sight of the fact that by responding to my letter in the manner that you did, you have removed any doubt whatsoever that you have no idea of the quantifiable benefits you are dismissing not only for the town, but also for protesters. Either you stopped listening at the word "ordinance" or you never started.. Your constitutional rights to assemble were never in question and would actually be strengthened and there would be literally no impediments. We could even title it "The Alex Villamil Ordinance" if you want. It could be your legacy and actually show Newtown your willingness to work in a bipartisan way for the betterment of the town. Businesses would be protected. Traffic wouldn't be interrupted. The town would save hundreds of thousands of dollars in police overtime. And maybe most importantly, the town could prevent another tragedy while mitigating legal risk in the event something terrible happens at a protest. Nothing bad could never happen in Newtown right? All that could be accomplished by a simple, non-intrusive ordinance unless all the detriments to our town are intentional in order to bring more attention to your cause. Alex, this was not me throwing a temper tantrum. Believe me, you will know it if that happens. I am just putting Newtown first. From that perspective, if you think critically, the regulation is necessary. It makes sense logically, rationally, and is reasonable. There is absolutely no down side. None. I would be willing to sit down with you to see if we could come to some type of compromise if you want. Let me know. You would be amazed how much you can accomplish when there is dialogue amongst neighbors.

It’s About Dialogue Amongst Neighbors — Not Regulation

A popular prank circulating on TikTok is “ding-dong-ditch” where a group of young people violently bang or kick someone’s door late at night and then “ditch” or run. On May 3 three high schoolers here in Fredericksburg Va. were participating in such a prank. One homeowner assumed, as in this case, an attempted break in and also took measures to defend his family and property. As the youths were running away he fired, striking an 18 year old graduating senior in the back killing him and seriously injuring a second youth. A wasted life, a family shattered, and the homeowner charged with murder.

You’re absolutely right — no one should ever feel unsafe in their own home. Being startled awake by violent banging at your door late at night is no joke, and it’s a stark reminder that danger can come without warning. That’s why I’m thankful for the right to protect ourselves, our families, and our property. In a moment like that, you don’t get a second chance to call for help before you act — you have to be prepared. Our homes should be a place of peace, not fear, and the ability to defend them is a right worth safeguarding.

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The foursome of Chad Eaton, Sigler, Rick Rittaco and Len Szczesny captured the Fourth of July Scramble at the Newtown Country Club with a round of 58.

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