Lion's Club Holding Annual Easter Egg Hunt
The Killingworth Lions Club will hold its annual Easter Egg Hunt Saturday, April 3 promptly at 11:00 a.m. at Sheldon Park. The event is open to Killingworth children pre-K to 4th Grade. Please bring a bag or a basket to collect all the eggs! Additional prizes will be awarded to some lucky children. A special appearance by the Easter Bunny has also been arranged. The rain date is 11:00 a.m. on April 10.

Sunday Concert Series Features Barbershop Chorus
The Killingworth Congregational Church Sunday concert series will feature the Connecticut Yankee Barbershop Chorus next Sunday, April 4 at 3:00 p.m. The award winning chorus is a group of men dedicated to the preservation and encouragement of barbershop singing in America. Tickets are $7.00 at the door or you may reserve tickets by calling 663-1789 or by e-mailing reved@rcn.com.

In his weekly address to residents, First Selectman David Denvir discusses bridges and how sometimes they need to be repaired. Our town has that need right now as does a much more traveled bridge a little south of Killingworth. Read his complete remarks here.

KES Families Enjoy Healthy Activities and Foods
The KES PTO 'Healthy Family Night' was a big success tonight at the Elementary School. 30 families played games, learned about healthy activities and snacked on healthy foods. The KES Parent Teacher Organization holds a family night every month to bring the KES family together for fun, conversation and food. KES parent Tracy Plumley is head of the family night committee.

HK Recreation Opens Summer Camp Registration
The Haddam-Killingworth Recreation Department is offering Summer Camp and Child Care for residents of Haddam and Killingworth. Summer Camp is for children entering grades 1-8. Activities include sports, games, arts & crafts, swimming, field trips, special events, and theme days. Summer Camp meets Monday - Friday from June 28 - August 13 (no camp July 5) from 7:00-6:00 p.m. Participants may register for either full day camp (7:00-6:00 p.m.), Half Day Camp (9:00 - 3:30 p.m.), Extended AM (7:00-3:30 pm) or Extended PM (9-6 pm), but must sign up on a weekly basis. Sign up by March 30 and receive an extra $5 off per week. Camp fees include field trip admission and busing and a camper T-shirt to be worn on field trips. Recreation scholarships and special payment plans are available for needy campers. Please call the HK Recreation Dept. at 345-8334 for fees and registration information or visit hkrec.com for a registration form.

PTO Holding Healthy Family Fair
The Killingworth Elementary School Parent-Teacher Organization is holding a Family Night, Friday, March 26 from 6:15-8:15 p.m. in the KES All-Purpose room. The theme of the night is 'Healthy Families'. KES families are encouraged to try out active games, new exercises and healthy foods. Come enjoy the fun and activities with your family, neighbors and friends. Door prizes will be awarded, but you must be present to win. If you would like to attend or need more information please call Tracy Plumley at 663-3710.

Youth and Family Prevention Council to Hold Community Night
The entire Haddam-Killingworth Community is invited to a Community Night presented by the Prevention Council of Haddam-Killingworth on Wednesday, March 31 from 6:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m. at the Haddam-Killingworth High School Auditorium. This event is open to all ages.
There will be a live broadcast by KC101.3 from 6:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. Community resources for youth will be set up in the lobby. At 7:00 p.m, former UCONN basketball player John Gwynn will share a video highlighting his basketball career at UCONN and speak about resisting peer pressure, goal setting and keeping one's priorities straight. A panel discussion will follow the presentation and questions will be taken from the audience. Prizes donated by KC101 will be given out at the end of the program. You must be present to win. Refreshments will be served.

The Prevention Council of Haddam-Killingworth is a community coalition working to lessen the incidence of substance abuse among community youth. Community Nights are held twice yearly to share information, educate and promote opportunities for community participation in prevention programs and activities. This program is made possible by a Drug Free Communities Grant from the United States Department of Justice. For more information or to find out how to become an active member of the Prevention Council, contact Cheryl Chandler, Prevention Council Coordinator at Youth and Family Services of Haddam-Killingworth, Inc. (860)345-7498.

HK Soccer Club Team Advances to State Championship
The Haddam-Killingworth Soccer Club Under-14 boys team won the Southeast District Tournament on Wednesday, March 24 to advance to the Indoor State Cup Championship round set for Sunday, March 28. The team, coached by Steve Isleib, went undefeated in the preliminary games, March 14 at Connecticut College. They defeated East Lyme, 1-0; Ledyard, 5-0; and Lyme/Old Lyme, 4-0. Last night, HK defeated Norwich, 1-0, in the semi-finals and beat East Lyme, 1-0, in the finals. The U14 team consists of Ryan Conway, Greg Cumpstone, Liam Isleib, Chris Schroeder, Tim Swanson, Matt Waldman, Dan Wendt, Sal Zichichi and two guest players, Robert Blackwell of Old Saybrook and Brett Godiksen of Westbrook. The State Cup Championship will be held at the Moore Fieldhouse on the campus of Southern CT State University Sunday, March 28. The HK team is scheduled to play at 9:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 12:00 noon and 1:00 p.m.

Selectmen Propose 3.9% Increase in Town Budget
Killingworth First Selectman David Denvir presented the 2004-2005 Town Budget to the Board of Finance last night at the Town Offices. Denvir said the two primary areas of increase are the 3% wage increase to town employees and the 10% increase in insurance costs. Town employee salaries make up approximately $1 million of the annual budget and insurance costs are approximately $500,000. The 3.9% increase does not include the funds needed to repair the Reservoir Road bridge because the cost of that project can be financed in several ways. The cost of the project would add approximately $350,000 to the capital budget. The Board of Finance will continue to review the budget over the next several weeks and will hold a public budget hearing on April 27 at 8:00 p.m. in the KES All-Purpose room. Below is the breakdown of the proposed budget:

General Government: $1,455,988.97 (42.3%)
Public Safety: $258,388.91 (7.5%)
Highway: $857,300.08 (24.9%)
Sanitation: $344,317.83 (10.0%)
Conservation & Land Use: $66,263.92 (1.9%)
Recreation: $74,350.00 (2.2%)
Miscellaneous: $269,907.00 (7.9%)
Welfare: $13,500.00 (0.4%)
Redemption of Debt: $97,932.00 (2.8%)
Total Operating Budget: $3, 437,948.71
% increase from 03-04: +2.4%
Capital budget: $231,031.23

Total Proposed Budget $3,668,979.94 (without Reservoir Road project)
Fiscal Year 03-04 Budget: $3,528,908.00
Difference from final 03-04 Budget: $140,071.94 (+3.9%)

Total proposed Budget: $4,018,979.94 (with Reservoir Road project):
Fiscal Year 03-04 Budget: $3,528,908.00
Difference from final 03-04 Budget: $490,071.94 (+13.8%)

Chamber Holds 'Business After Hours' Reception
The Killingworth Chamber of Commerce held a 'Business After Hours' reception at Banknorth on Tuesday evening. Reception host Nadine Cabrera said she hopes to encourage other Chamber members to host such events at least once every quarter if not every other month. Cabrera, who came to the Killingworth branch in January, is the bank manager and business development and sales manager. She was elected to the Chamber Board of Directors in January.

Reservoir Road Bridge Repairs to Begin Soon
First Selectman David Denvir said at last night's Board of Selectmen's meeting, that the State has tentatively agreed to lend the Town a bailey bridge, free of charge, until more permanent repairs on the Reservoir Road bridge can commence. A bailey bridge is a steel bridge designed to be shipped in parts and assembled rapidly. The State concluded on its March 15 inspection that repairs to the bridge were urgently needed. The Selectmen have included a request for repair funds in the 2004-2005 town budget and have commissioned town engineers to begin the grant process for state funds. Though the State did not recommend an immediate closing of the bridge, Denvir said the inspectors clearly implied that if the town did not act immediately the State would have to close it down. The Reservoir Road bridge is one of four town bridges under consideration for repair.

There was also considerable discussion last night about the condition of Lover's Lane. Local architect Arlene Tunney presented research she assembled about interim and permanent solutions to the flooding problem that has caused the closing of the road, on and off during winter months, for the last decade. She also offered to help write the state grant proposal that could fund 80% of the cost of a permanent timber bridge across the effected area. Tunney said Lover's Lane might qualify for funds through the State Surface Transportation Program. She said, it grants money to repair roads that are certified as collector roads and hazard mitigating roads. Since the grant process could take 2-5 years, the interim solution she proposed was a type of bailey bridge that she said would cost approximately $78,000. She requested the Board include $100,000 in this year's budget to begin repairs. Board members decided to table any action until the next Selectmen's meeting in order to consider Tunney's research and confer with town engineer Howard Pfrommer.

Transfer Station Decals for Residents Only
The Killingworth Board of Selectmen clarified its position, last night, that the Town transfer station be used only for Killingworth resident's waste, not for town businesses. First Selectman David Denvir said there was no way to regulate the amount of waste from a business. He said the cost of doing business should include a dumpster and waste removal. Selectman Louis Annino, Sr., in agreement, said that if the Pharmedica buildings were occupied, the town dump would be filled with just their shredded computer paper. The town began issuing new decals in January in order to curb the abuse of the dump by non-residents, former residents and contractors. Unlike many area town dumps, the Killingworth transfer station is free. As of April 1, only residents with the new decal will be allowed access to the dump. The new decals are available during regular office hours at the Town Offices.

Residents to Vote on Drinking Ordinance
The Killingworth Board of Selectmen agreed, at last night's meeting, to have town attorney Bill Howard compose an underage drinking ordinance for the Selectmen's consideration. The Board agreed to review and vote on the ordinance and present it for approval at a town meeting in early May. The ordinance would allow police to enter private property and issue citations when they find minors drinking at house parties.

Catherine LeVasseur, Youth Chair of the Connecticut Coalition to Stop Underage Drinking and former First Selectman W. David LeVasseur were on hand to answer questions about the ordinance. Ms. LeVasseur provided the Board with 30 different versions of the ordinance passed by area towns. After review, Selectman Charles Morgan said the ordinances were all basically the same except for a slight variation in the violation fine. Mr. LeVasseur informed the Board that the state-wide statute before the legislature failed to come out of committee and would be available again for consideration no earlier than January 2005. Read the proposed act here. Mr. LeVasseur and his daughter are encouraging area towns to pass the ordinances now rather than wait for the state to act.

First Selectman David Denvir raised the concern that separate town statutes could cause confusion when state troopers have to respond to multiple towns. Ms. LeVasseur responded that the CCSUD was willing to provide training to police as well as reference cards. She said State Police Troop F is very supportive of the ordinances and is cognizant that attention to specific town citations is imperative.

Republicans Hold St. Patrick's Day Fund Raiser
The Killingworth Republican Town Committee held its second annual St. Patrick's Day fund raiser on Saturday, March 13 at the Home of Don and Deborah Cotton. State Senator William A. Aniskovich was the evening's special guest. He discussed state budget issues as well as national politics. Read more about the fund raiser in the Clinton Recorder.

Memorial Service Saturday for First Fire Chief
The memorial service for Killingworth Volunteer Fire Company's First Chief, Donald Walton, will be held Saturday, March 27 at 11:00 a.m. at the Killingworth Congregational Church. Walton passed away on March 9 at the age of 91. A contingent of firefighters from the Company will be there in dress uniform to honor their former leader. To learn more about Donald Walton, his contribution to the Fire Company and to the development of our town, please read the KillingworthToday article here.

Jordan Takes a Third and Fourth at State Open
At the Connecticut State Open Boys' Swimming Championships Saturday, Haddam-Killingworth senior, Scott Jordan finished third in the 200 individual medley in 1:54.83 and fourth in the 100 breaststroke in 59.45. Both finishes shaved significant time off his Class S finishing times of 1:56.00 for the medley and 1:00.21 in the breaststroke. Jordan's 200 IM time set a new Class S standard beating out the 1:55.21 time set by Tom Davis of Darien in 1995. Notre-Dame of West Haven and Greenwich were the two big team at the meet, with Greenwich out swimming the Green Knights in the end 429-312. Haddam-Killingworth finished 22nd with 35 points.

Girl in Hyacinth Blue
by Susan Vreeland
ISBN: 014029628X (paperback)
ISBN: 1878448900 (hardcover)

In this intriguing novel, the history of a painting is told in a series of flashbacks. Each chapter takes the reader further back chronologically, tracing the life of a painting as it passes through the hands of various owners. The story begins in the present day, with the painting in the possession of an art history professor who believes, but cannot verify, that the painting is attributed to the Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer.

The journey of the painting continues back to the house of a Jewish family during World War II, then to Amsterdam where it serves as a wedding gift for a daughter from her parents, and even further back in time to a flooded farm house where it arrives via boat, accompanied only by a newborn baby. Finally, we are taken to the house of the artist in Delft who created this work of art. Through the imagination of the author, we gain insight into the events surrounding the creation of the painting.

Vreeland's account of the perilous path of this artwork reads like both a mystery and a fascinating trip through art history. Her well-crafted novel captures the beauty and allure of this particular painting, and brings it to life for the reader. Susan Vreeland is also the author of the novel The Passion of Artemisia, and most recently, The Forest Lover.

Susan Miller is the Associate Director of the Arnold Bernhard Library at Quinnipiac University. She holds a Bachelor and Master of Music from Ohio State University and a M.S. in Library Science from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Contact Susan at covertocover@killingworthtoday.com