Richard Conniff and The Species Seekers

Author Richard Conniff will talk about his newest book, The Species Seekers: Heroes, Fools and the Mad Pursuit of Life on Earth on Thursday, Oct. 6 at the de Koven House Community Center, Middletown, Conn.

Hosted by The Rockfall Foundation, the presentation starts at 7 p.m.

Suggested donation is $20; space is limited.

A Connecticut resident, Coniff is a former 2007 Guggenheim Fellow and National Magazine Award winner whose articles have appeared in Time, Smithsonian, The Atlantic, The New York Times Magazine, National Geographic, and other publications as well as e-magazines including Yale Environment 360. He is a frequent blogger and commentator on NPR, and has written and presented televisions shows for the National Geographic Channel, TBS, and the BBC, among others.

For reservations call Tony at (860) 347-0340; or email tmarino@rockfallfoundation.org.

Annual Rockfall Symposium Set For Essex

The 24th Annual Rockfall Symposium "Changes to Regional Planning, New Opportunities to Share State & Local Services” will happen Friday, Oct. 8, at Essex Steam Train & Riverboat in Essex, Conn.

Four featured speakers:

• David Kooris, vice president and director, Connecticut Regional Plan Association, Stamford; "Emerging Regions – The Context for Middlesex County"
• John Harmon, professor emeritus, CCSU Department of Geography; "Rational Regions – Looking at Connecticut’s Tangle of Overlapping Regions"
• Linda Krause, executive director, Connecticut River Estuary Regional Planning Agency, Old Saybrook; "Regional Planning Options in the Lower CT River Valley – How are we different?"
• Tim Brennan, executive director, Pioneer Valley Regional Planning Organization, Springfield, Mass.; "Choosing to Collaborate – Innovative Ways to Get Cities and Towns to Work Together"

Fee is $50; optional buffet lunch must be ordered in advance. Optional ride on the Essex Steam Train is extra. For information on a group rate for the train, call (860) 767-0103.

For information about the event, see www.rockfallfoundation.org or call (860) 347-0340.

Network With The "Greens"

The Rockfall Foundation extends an invitation to network at Nikita's Bar & Bistro in Middletown on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 5 to 7 p.m.

The "GreenDrinks" gathering will offer time to make connections, exchange news, brainstorm and relax.

"Meet Your Greens" was established in June 2008 by the Rockfall Foundation, and is based on Green Drinks International.
(On Facebook, see "Meet Your Greens" to become a fan.)

Drink and appetizer specials will be available.

Informal introductions at 5:30 p.m., so bring along news, events or other information to share. All are welcome. For more information call Claire Rusowicz at the Rockfall Foundation, (860) 347-0340; or crusowicz@rockfallfoundation.org.


Nikita's is located at 484 Main St., Middletown; call (860) 344-9378.

Legacy of Col. Wadsworth Is Beauty

He was a man ahead of his time. Clarence C. Wadsworth was a colonel in the New York National Guard who loved languages. He settled in Middletown, Connecticut, and the land and its natural features became his love for life - he is the reason for Wadsworth Falls State Falls.

Wadsworth made sure his will would be followed - he established what is known today as The Rockfall Foundation (named for the waterfalls located in today's parklands - one massive waterfalls, another smaller set.) For more about history and the vintage photo abov, visit www.wadsworthmansion.com/htmlsite/history.html - and imagine the heyday of this beauty.