We don’t have a lot of news this month, but I did hear from Ken Block recently. Ken has been in Rhode Island for more than 20 years and is the president of Simpatico Software Systems, a software engineering firm and Cross Alert Systems, a manufacturer of specialized traffic signals for recreational trail and public road intersections. He has been active in the Rhode Island political scene and is now running for governor (check him out at www.kenblockforgovernor.com). Ken lives in Barrington with his wife, Jennifer, a middle school science teacher, and their two active and politically aware children Sam (11) and Anna (9).


For many of us this time of year is filled with college tours, applications or decisions. If any of you will be visiting the Amherst, Massachusetts, area, drop me a line. Our region boasts not only five prestigious colleges but also three classmates—Jock McDonald, me and David Arnold, who is on the faculty at University of Massachusetts. I am not above bribery, and would spring for a drink or even breakfast in exchange for some news!


—Lisa Pabich Damon, 2124 Ashwood Ave., Nashville, TN 37212; lisa.damon.87@alum.dartmouth.org; Allison Bleyler McDonald, 43 Hop Brook Road, Amherst, MA 01002; allisonmcd@gmail.com