Alfiere, Framski not enough in Hawks loss
BEACON FALLS — This season has been all about trying to get over the hump for the Woodland girls’ basketball squad. The Hawks have been near the top of the Naugatuck Valley League, but haven’t been able to overcome the league’s best and have suffered a few letdowns along the way. The Black and Gold had another chance to get over that hump last Friday against Holy Cross.
But Woodland squandered a halftime lead and double-doubles by both Katie Alfiere and Heather Framski en route to a 58-50 loss to the Crusaders in Beacon Falls.
Hanging onto a 30-29 lead at halftime, the Hawks went back and forth with Holy Cross throughout the first 2 ½ minutes of the third quarter before the Green and Gold went on a 7-2 run to open up a 42-36 lead—their largest edge to that point—with 2:55 remaining in the third. Woodland closed the gap to 42-40 with 1:26 left in the period, but Cross responded by outscoring the Hawks, 13-6, from that point until the 3:25 mark of the fourth to seal the win.
Streetscape project to come out of hibernation
BEACON FALLS — The Naugatuck River didn’t freeze this winter, but construction on the Beacon Falls streetscape project did.
Warm weather returning, though, means work is set to resume soon on the downtown greenway.
The project was originally slated to be finished in December but a number of issues, including guardrail excavation, draining issues, and contamination removal, ran construction past deadline and forced its winter hibernation.
First Selectman Gerry Smith said that work should begin again in early April with a target completion date of May 15, but it could stretch as long as the end of May.
CN Sportsflash Thanksgiving
The Woodland and Naugatuck football teams take on their Thanksgiving rivals, and NHS cross country runner Rosa Moriello competes at the Northeast regional championship. 
Naugy unable to preserve halftime lead
NAUGATUCK — The Naugatuck boys won the battle on the boards against St. Paul Friday, holding a 9-8 advantage on buckets in the paint. But it was the hot outside shooting of the Falcons that did in the Greyhounds, as St. Paul escaped the borough with a 55-47 win.
Naugatuck, 1-11 on the season, had no answer for the Falcons’ perimeter ace, Chris Borea (19 points), who sent five three-pointers through the net. The Greyhounds certainly gave St. Paul a run for their money with Warren Buerkle (14 points) back in the lineup.
For one of the first times this season, the Garnet and Grey held the halftime lead, guarding a 25-23 advantage. It was the inside play of Tyler Krupa (11 points), Tyler Conklin (10 points, three blocks) and Kyle Krupa (six points, 10 rebounds) that gave the Hounds a presence under the basket.
Woodland faculty growing Hair for Haiti
BEACON FALLS — Every year atop the hill at Woodland, a select few teachers, led by English teacher Paul Geary, grow out their beards during midterm week in January. This year was no different—Geary, English teacher James Amato and history teacher Chris Tomlin all put down their razors prior to the four-day midterm exam week. Instead of shaving their scruffy beards after testing, though, the facial hair stayed—and it turned into Beards for Bucks, a fundraiser for Haiti relief.
The fundraiser, also known as Hair for Haiti, is a month-long event co-sponsored by the Woodland Regional Student Council and Woodland for Women Worldwide, in which teachers essentially grow the best facial hair possible while students cast $1 votes for their favorite beards. And, yes, this one-of-a-kind phenomenon all grew from the triumvirate’s annual ritual.
Accident injures female truck driver, shuts down New Haven Road
NAUGATUCK - A female truck driver was taken to Saint Mary’s hospital with serious leg injuries Thursday morning after a car struck her.
The driver, from New Jersey, had just finished a car delivery to J&M Automotive and was standing outside her parked tractor trailer at 8:23 a.m. when a young driver from Prospect heading southbound on New Haven Road (Rt. 63) hit her and spun out of control, said Lieutenant Robert Harrison. 
Chatfield wins 17th straight term
PROSPECT — Republican incumbent Mayor Robert J. Chatfield secured his 17th consecutive term Tuesday with a landslide victory over Democratic challenger Charles F. Mallon. Chatfield won 78 percent of the vote, defeating the first-term Town Council member, 2,040-591.
Throughout his campaign, Chatfield’s message was simple: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
And it appeared that the vast majority of Prospect voters shared this sentiment with the beloved “Mayor Bob,” who will now be entering his 33rd straight year as mayor of the town.
