HK Middle Schooler Wins State-Wide Geography Bee
13-year-old Barrett Kenney won the top prize at the state level National Geography Bee yesterday at Central Connecticut State University. Kenney is an eighth grader at Haddam-Killingworth Middle School. As state winner, Kenney receives an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., to compete in the national finals of the 2004 National Geographic Bee, scheduled May 25 and 26. First prize is a $25,000 college scholarship and a lifetime membership in the National Geographic Society. Second- and third-place winners receive $15,000 and $10,000 scholarships. Read all about the finals in the Hartford Courant and read about the National Geographic Geography Bee at its website.

In his weekly address to residents, First Selectman David Denvir introduces the Town to the new household waste facility in Essex. Killingworth worked with the eight other towns of the Connecticut River Estuary Region to acquire grant funding and construct a permanent waste facility that is free to residents. With our houses dependent on well water, the waste facility will help protect our drinking water as well as the water supplied by our two area reservoirs. Read his complete remarks here.

Jazz Night at the High School
The Haddam-Killingworth Chamber Choir, directed by Tim Reno, and Jazz Band, directed by Tim D'Amato performed classic and contemporary jazz selections last night at the HK Auditorium.

High School Winter Sports Round-Up

The Haddam-Killingworth Winter sports season is all wrapped up. Here are the team's final records and major awards.

Boy's Swimming: Record: 3-3 conference, 4-5 overall
First Team All-Conference: Scott Jordan, Kurtis Roth, Alex Bazazi, Adam Wargo
Scott Jordan set new school records in the 100 breaststroke, 200 IM and 200 freestyle. He was selected All-State, MVP at the Nutmeg Championship and New Haven Register All-Area Athlete. The team placed 2nd at the Nutmeg Conference meet and 5th at the State Class 'S' meet.

Girl's Indoor Track Record: 42-5 League Champions, 3rd in State Class 'S' meet, 7th in State Open meet.
All-Conference: Katelyn Deimel, Colleen Kavanagh, Maygan Salzano, Meghan Scanlon, Meghan Wilson, Kimber Stannard, Danielle Funaro, Lauren Sharp, Taryn Allegra, Lauren Padula.
All-State: Katelyn Deimel, Meghan Scanlon, Kimber Stannard, Danielle Funaro

Boy's Indoor Track Record: 37-7, 3rd in the League meet, 7th in the State Class 'S' meet.
All-Conference: Chris Anselmo, Jake Corbett, Cory Weiss, Alex Holland, Alex Corkum, Mike Termini, Ryan MacNeeley, B.J. Palumbo.
All-State: Jake Corbett, Ryan MacNeeley, B.J. Palumbo, Alex Holland

Girl's Basketball Regular season record: 9-11, overall: 9-12
All-Conference: Kelsey Pratt, Honorable Mention
Kristen Hetsko set a new school record scoring 48, 3-point baskets. Kelsey Pratt and Candice Webber were selected to play in the CIAC Class M/S All-Star Game.

Boy's Basketball Regular season record: 15-5, overall: 17-6. State Div. IV Semi-finalists.
13th State Tournament appearance in 16 years.
All-Conference: Cory Riordan and Ryan Murray, 2nd Team. Matt Finlayson, Honorable Mention.
All-Academic/All-State: Matt Finlayson
Cory Riordan, Matt Finlayson and Charlie Pytlik were recognized by the Middletown Rotary Club as Middlesex County All-Stars. Riordan was selected by the CHSCA to play in the CIAC Class M?S All-Star game. Head Coach Paul McCormick was selected SLC Coach of the Year.

Middletown Press All-Press Team: Ryan Murray, Cory Riordan, Kristen Hetsko, Meghan Scanlon, Ryan MacNeeley, B.J. Palumbo, Danielle Funaro, Maygan Salzano, Kimber Stannard.

Community Night Features Former UConn Star
The Prevention Council of Haddam-Killingworth held its Community Night at the HK Auditorium Wednesday, with guest speaker John Gwynn. Gwynn played basketball for the University of Connecticut from 1987-91 and is now a juvenile probation officer in Middletown. After a short film highlighting his basketball career, Gwynn talked about his upbringing, the strong influence his parents had on him and his advice on how to avoid peer pressure and keep positive priorities in one's life. The evening also featured a panel discussion with local high school students and graduates.

A live broadcast from local radio station KC101.3 was supposed to open the evening. However, Promotions Director Brett Charest said he was unaware that the Prevention Council expected this and said it was a miscommunication between organizers. The radio station did send station manager Chaz Kelly and DJ Kerry Collins to appear and hand out prizes. Kelly read a statement explaining the station's involvement in the event, which started with a DJ's comments to a 13-year-old girl, that seemed to condone underage drinking, and ended with a barrage of letters from angry parents. The radio station wanted to make it clear it did not condone underage drinking and was showing its support for such community groups by appearing at the event.

The Prevention Council is a community coalition of approximately 100 residents 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. The Prevention Coordinator is Cheryl Chander and the Program Director is Essie Spencer.

School Budget Ready for Public Hearing
The Region 17 Board of Education Budget Committee has approved the 2004-2005 school year, $28.18 million budget figure and will present it to the public at its Annual Hearing on April 14 at 7:00 p.m. at Burr Elementary School. After hearing public input, the budget is finalized and then put to referendum on May 4. The school board will present a package that is essentially the budget proposed by interim superintendent Dr. Robert Goldman in January. The only significant change is the elimination of the requested half-time physical education position in favor of an increase in a world language position from half-time to full-time. The board did approve the additional first grade teacher for Haddam Elementary as proposed by Goldman. The $28.18 million represents a $1.83 million increase over last year's budget. A major portion of the increase is to pay for increases in salary and benefit costs, and to meet the rising expense of bonding. The proposed 2004-2005 budget is available for review at the Region 17 website.

The Town Offices would like to remind residents that effective April 1, 2004, No vehicle will be granted access to any area of the solid waste transfer station (the dump) unless the vehicle has a new transfer station decal affixed to the windshield. There will be no exceptions. In addition, effective April 4, with the commencement of daylight savings time, the new Thursday hours are: 2:00 p.m-7:00 p.m. Hours will be: Tuesday 3-7:00 p.m. Thursday 2-7:00 p.m. and Saturday 8:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. These hours will be in effect until October when we return to Eastern Standard Time.

Maple Syrup Still a Tradition in Killingworth
The Welter Farm on Roast Meat Road is still the gathering spot for the age-old tradition of Maple Syrup making. An article in the Clinton Recorder documents the late winter harvest and processing of the sugar maple tree sap by residents John McCurdy, Charlie Martens, Jere Adametz and Jay Folger.

Essex Lawyer to Negotiate for Venuti Property
First Selectman David Denvir has chosen Killingworth resident Michael Wells to represent the town in negotiations with the Venuti Family for its 260-acre property on Route 148 according to the Hartford Courant. Harry Heller, a lawyer from Norwich is representing the Venuti family. According to the article, Denvir said Wells has experience "with different real estate matters in town," and the designated town counsel, Middletown lawyer William Howard, is busy with other cases. Wells is a lawyer with the Essex firm of Gould, Larson, Bennet, Wells, and McDonald. The Venuti property was originally offered to the town for $8 million last April. The offer was rejected but the town had an appraisal of the property prepared for future negotiations. The Venuti Family has contended that its property was better suited to town recreational use than the town- owned Bosco Property. Denvir has said that he is considering several properties for town purchase including the Venuti's for open space and the Pharmedica property for Town Center plans.

Middle School Presents Athletic Awards
Haddam-Killingworth Middle School recognized several athletes for their outstanding contributions, March 22, at its Winter Sports Awards Night. Awards were presented to Kelsey Buttendorf for girl's basketball, Ryan Hawkins for boy's basketball and Chris Ryan for swimming.

Denvir Sings at Republican Fundraiser
First Selectman David Denvir performed several songs including the National Anthem at the Republican fundraiser for Congressman Rob Simmons at the Mystic Marriott in Groton, March 24, according to the Clinton Recorder. The luncheon featured First Lady Laura Welch Bush as its honored guest. Simmons is running for re-election for his third term in Congress from the 2nd District. Denvir has performed the National Anthem at several functions recently and is quoted in the article as saying, he looks forward to volunteering his voice to other Republican events in this election year.

Club Soccer Finishes Second at State Indoor Cup
The Haddam-Killingworth Soccer Club Under-14 Boys team lost, 2-0, in the finals of the State Championship Indoor Cup at Southern Connecticut State, Sunday to defending champion Danbury. In preliminary rounds, the team defeated Willington, the Northeast district champion, 6-0, in its first game. In the second game, HK defeated Stamford, the Southwest district champion, 3-0. The third game of the day pitted HK against Danbury, the defending state champion from the Northwest district and eventual 2004 champion. In the final game, HK tied Guilford 0-0. With a record of 2-1-1, the HK team captured second place.

OBITUARY:
The New Haven Register reported the passing of Joan McKernan Kornak, 74, of 3 Stonewall Drive on Thursday, March 25 at Middlesex Hospice in Middletown. Mrs. Kornak was an active member of St. Lawrence Church and a former volunteer at the Killingworth Library and the American Cancer Society. Mrs. Kornak is survived by her husband of 54 years, Edward Kornak, her son, Edward Kornak, Jr. and his wife Barbara, two daughters, Cynthia Wetmore and her husband Paul and Mary Shapiro and her husband Jeffrey. She is also survived by five grandchildren and a niece. A mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 a.m. today at St. Lawrence Church. Burial will be at Evergreen Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made in her memory to Middlesex Hospice, c/o Middlesex Hospital, 28 Crescent St. Middlesex, CT 06457.

High School Presents Jazz Night
Haddam-Killingworth High School music department will hold a performance featuring its Jazz Band and Chamber Chorus, Thursday, April 1 at 7:00 p.m. in the HK Auditorium. The Jazz Band, directed by Tim D'Amato, will perform the big band favorite "Little Brown Jug," "Birdland," the up-tempo "Crazeology," and others. The Chamber Choir, directed by Tim Reno will perform a variety of songs including "Come Fly with Me," "Java Jive," "The Girl from Ipanema," and "Tico Tico." Admission is free.

The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency
by Alexander McCall Smith
ISBN: 1400034779 (paperback)
ISBN: 174093007X (hardcover)

Precious Ramotswe is a caring and faithful daughter who lovingly looks after her aging father until his dying day. He has lived a frugal life in Gaborone, Botswana, and leaves his daughter a herd of cattle large enough that she can sell them and buy a small house, and also establish her own business. Mma Ramotswe considers her career options, decides to open her own detective agency - and becomes the only female detective in Botswana. She buys two desks, hires a secretary, brews a pot of bush tea, and waits for her first client to appear.

Who would guess that within a village on the edge of the Kalahari someone would need to find a husband who is missing, or give back a suspected stolen auto, or even track down a lost young boy who may have been captured by a witch doctor? At all times, Mma Ramotswe keeps her wits about her. With only her tiny white van and her powers of observation, she coaxes the truth from those who are deceitful, and restores balance to her small community of friends and neighbors.

Mma Ramotswe is clever, kind, and honest. She takes on the problems of others, and leaves each person a bit better for having met her. If you enjoy her adventures in this volume, you can enjoy three subsequent novels, with a fifth, The Full Cupboard of Life, being published this April.

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