Haddam-Killingworth senior Ryan Murray needed just 17 points to break the 1,000 point threshold for his high school basketball career. In last night's game against Morgan of Clinton, Murray shattered the mark with a 39-point performance that solidified his position as one of the top scorers in Connecticut. Murray will be honored along with his fellow seniors on Monday night at the team's final regular season home game. Despite his outstanding effort, the Cougars fell, 77-71, to the Huskies. HK is 11-7 on the year.

Students at Haddam-Killingworth High School received a glimpse into future career choices at Career Day yesterday afternoon. Marcia Catalano, HK's student transition facilitator, lined up 42 area professionals to speak to students on their chosen profession and what path got them there. Each professional spoke for about 20 minutes. Read more about some of the speakers in today's Middletown Press.

HK Middle School Girls Basketball coach Rich Riebold couldn't have dreamt of a more perfect season. The girls team capped off an undefeated season with a final win over North Branford, 55-22, on Thursday. The girls' record is 14-0 as they head into a post-season tournament at Woodrow Wilson Middle School in Middletown this weekend where they meet East Haven in the first round.

In the final game of the regular season, Shelby VanHuysen was the top scorer with 19 points including a trey. She was followed by Allie Rand with 14 and Danielle Machold with 10 points. Maura Calamari had three breakway lay-ups at the end of the game to add 6 more to the HK score. On the books with 2 points each were Erin Moriarty (who was injured in the first half), Kim Peterson, Lindsey Griswold and Jackie Buttendorf.

In JV action, HK lost to the Thunderbirds 12-6 for one of their few losses of the season.

•Monday, February 21:
8:00 a.m. & 7:00 p.m. HKHS Band Concert
10:00 a.m. & 9:00 p.m. HKHS Girls Basketball vs Coginchaug (Senior Night)
•Tuesday, February 22:
8:00 a.m. & 7:00 p.m. Region 17 Board of Education Meeting Recorded 2/8/05
10:00 a.m. & 9:00 p.m. Region 17 Board of Education Meeting Recorded 2/8/05
•Wednesday, February 23:
8:00 a.m. & 7:00 p.m. Region 17 Board of Education Meeting Recorded 2/8/05
10:00 a.m. & 9:00 p.m. Region 17 Board of Education Meeting Recorded 2/8/05
•Thursday, February 24:
8:00 a.m. & 7:00 p.m. Boys Basketball Old Saybrook vs Morgan
10:00 a.m.& 9:00 p.m. Region 17 Board of Education 'Budget Presentation'
•Friday, February 25:
8:00 a.m. & 7:00 p.m. Boys Basketball Old Saybrook vs Morgan
10:00 a.m. & 9:00 p.m. Region 17 Board of Education 'Budget Presentation'
•Saturday, February 26:
8:00 a.m. & 7:00 p.m. Boys Basketball Old Saybrook vs Morgan
10:00 a.m. & 9:00 p.m. Region 17 Board of Education 'Budget Presentation'
information provided by HKTV

Senior Night activities at last night's girls basketball game were a tribute to lone senior Kristen Hetsko for her outstanding contribution to her team and the program. Kristen's parents and grandmother were on hand, the entire team was dressed in 'Hetsko #3' warm up shirts and the gym was a shrine the team's leader, captain and friend.

The game would be the final of the regular season for the Cougars and they squeezed every minute they could out of the 2004-2005 season, beating Coginchaug in overtime, 52-51. The Cougars scrambled to keep a small lead through the first half but lost momentum in the third quarter. They refocused in the final quarter to keep it close and Jenna Loos brought the Cougars to within two with 1:31 to go in regulation. A key turnover then gave Hetsko the ball to tie the score at 46. Unable to score in the final seconds, the game went into overtime where good clock management and strong defense gave the Cougars the win. Hetsko led the scoring with 21 points and Megan Murray and Loos each scored 9. The Cougars face Coginchaug again on Saturday in the quarter-finals of the Shoreline Conference Tournament. Gametime is 7:00 p.m. at the HK Fieldhouse.

In JV action, the Cougars fell to Coginchaug 34-33. Ally Hall and Amanda Murray each scored 10 points but a final foul shot broke the tied game in favor of Coginchaug.

Tuesday, February 22 is the opening of registration for the Spring Programs at the Killingworth Library.
MUSIC WITH MARGIE: For children 2½ and older, Tuesdays from 10:45-11:15 a.m. beginning March 1.

STORYTIME: Especially for children ages 3 and 4 every Thursday morning 10:00-10:30 a.m. during the month of April. Program dates are: April 6, 13, 20, 27.

TERRIFIC TWOS: Especially for children between the ages of 24 and 36 months. Parents and caregivers are invited to enjoy some rhyme-time fun with their child every Wednesday morning from 10:00-10:30 a.m. during the month of May. Program dates area:
May 4, 11, 18, 25.

Sign-up by phone or in person starting February 22. Please call 663-2000 for more information or to register. Space is limited and priority will be given to residents.

Killingworth resident Robin Vuillermet, a nationaly known breeder of German Pinschers, was a strong bet in Monday's judging of the Best of Breed competition at the 129th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at Madison Square Garden. Vuillermet, whose dog, Champion Windamir Hunter Charmettes, won Best of Breed in 2004, owns or co-owns 7 of the 16 German Pinschers entered in the 2005 competition. This year Champion Windamir Hunter Charmettes and another of Vuillermet's dogs, Champion Windamir's Siam Des Charmettes won Awards of Merit.

German Pinschers, which resemble smaller versions of the Doberman Pinscher, are judged in the working group category. The 2005 working group winner was a Great Pyrenees named Champion Dieudonne Impyrial Acclaim. The dog judged 'Best in Show' was the German Shorthaired Pointer, Champion Kan-Point's VJK Autumn Roses, nicknamed "Carlee".

Residents attending the Special Town Meeting last night unanimously approved the Selectmen's Five-Year Capital Plan, the line item over expenditures and under expenditures for the 2003-2004 budget, and approved increasing the Veteran's Tax Exemption from $2,000 to $10,000.

State Statues enable Towns to extend the Veteran's tax exemption to single Veterans or their surviving spouses with a yearly income under $27,000, and married couples with an income under $33,000. Town Assessor Donna Shanoff estimated that there are approximately 50 residents who will qualify for this benefit, amounting to $248 based on the current mil rate. First Selectman David Denvir estimated the exemption will cost the Town between $5,000 and $10,000 annually in yearly tax revenue.

Residents' approval of a Five-Year Capital Plan is necessary to qualify projects under the State's Local Capital Improvement Program (LoCIP). This program, "distributes funds to municipalities for reimbursement of eligible local capital improvement projects such as road, bridge or public building construction activities" and encourages "development of a five year Local Capital Improvement Plan". According to the State, Killingworth has accumulated $296,379.37 in unspent funds from previous years. Approximately $53,000 per year is available for reimbursement. The capital plan may be added to, or amended for qualifying projects. The items included in the Five-Year Capital Plan and information on the Veteran's Exemption is available on this Special Town Meeting page.

Colleen Phelan, an eighth grader from Killingworth who attends Haddam-Killingworth Middle School, claimed victory at the Region 17 District Spelling Bee yesterday at Burr Elementary School, by correctly spelling the word 'lectern'. The competition, sponsored by the New Haven Register and the Haddam Junior Women's Club, featured 25 students in grades 5-8 from Killingworth, Burr and Haddam Elementary Schools, and Haddam-Killingworth Middle School. The Runner-up in the event was seventh-grader Andrew Frederick, also from Killingworth.

Phelan will represent the District in the state-wide competition at Southern Connecticut State University on March 18. The State Champion will then advance to the finals in Washington, D.C., May 31-June 2. Judges for the event were Rita Peretto, Janice Gordon and Brian Levesque; principals of the three elementary schools. The event was organized by Carrie Wolak, the District's Instructional Specialist for Language Arts and Social Studies and Burr staff members Linda Deimel and Jane Allgaier.

This year marks the 78th year of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. It is the nation's largest and longest-running educational promotion, administered on a not-for-profit basis by The E.W. Scripps Company and over 250 sponsors in the United States, Europe, Guam, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, The Bahamas, and American Samoa.

The other competitors were: Sean Frederick and Allison Peplau from KES; Alyssa Payette, Seth Johnson, Jesse Eberl, Clayton Rountree, Brianne Rowley, and Lee Wagoner from Burr; Brianna Church, Nicole Everett, Christopher Lyford, Oliver Neal and Colin Sledzik from Haddam; Melissa Buckley, Michael DiGregorio, Sean Martin, Greg Rocco, Stephen Taylor, Alex Fabian, James Juaire, Michael Saunders, Sean Zapatka and last year's District Champion Keith Thomas.

Schools Superintendent Gary Mala recently submitted his proposed budget for the 2005-2006 fiscal year to the Region 17 Board of Education. Mala's $30,432,820 proposal represents a 7.98 percent increase over last year's budget for a total increase of $2,249,375. The Superintendent recommended the following additions to the budget:
• 0.5 FTE Elementary EXPLORE Teacher
• 0.5 Language Arts Teacher (Senior Projects) at HKHS
• Spanish Honor Society Advisor at HKHS
• National Art Honor Society Magazine Publication
• Cougar Spirit Club Advisor at HKHS
• Newspaper Club Advisor at HKHS
• Elementary Science Materials
• Elementary Language Arts Consumable Materials
• Project LEAD THE WAY training for three instructors at HKHS
• District Tutoring Needs.

Mala is also recommending the re-appropriation of existing resources in a series of steps to meet the District's goals. Some of these steps include redistributing resources to provide remedial support in mathematics at the elementary school level, and entering into collaborative agreements with neighboring districts to design and implement a Life Skills/Transition Program, purchase textbooks and reduce the impact of tutoring needs.

Mala stated that 94 percent of his budget proposal is controlled by fixed costs in the areas of contractual obligations, such as salaries and benefits; transportation costs; special education and tuition; facility costs, and the cost of securing the third bond for construction of the new Intermediate/Middle School.

The complete budget proposal is available online at www.rsd17.org Specific questions concerning the budget may also be submitted through the Website and will be answered by the Board of Education and Superintendent Mala. The next Board of Education Budget Committee meeting will be held Tuesday, March 1 at 7:30 p.m. at the HK High School lower Media Center.

The HK Middle School Girls basketball team continued its dream season Tuesday with its 13th consecutive victory with a, 55-17, romp over Westbrook. Both Varsity and Junior Varsity players played in the Varsity game, showing the depth of the HK team. Allie Rand was high scorer with 14 points, followed by center Erin Moriarty with 12. Shelby VanHuysen added 7 to the score, with Jackie Buttendorf on her heels with 6. Deanna Loso and Kim Peterson each added 4 and Leah DiGoia, Lindsey Griswold, Colleen Phelan and Stephanne Frye each scored 2.

The Middle School Junior Varsity girls also won their game against Westbrook, 16-10. The Middle School plays its final game of regular season in North Branford on Thursday.

The HK High School Girls Basketball team soundly defeated Valley Regional last night, 63-42. Megan Murray came up strong for the Cougars with 22 points on the night followed by Kristen Hetsko with 18 and Jenna Loos with 10. Carla Ciaglo was high scorer for the Warriors with 17.

In the High School Girls JV game, the Cougars came out on top 36-23 with Ally Hall leading the way with 16 points; Michelle Fillion and Ally Pratt each scored 6 points.

In Boys High School action Monday, the Cougars were defeated, 75-68, by Hyde Leadership. Brett Zanardi led all scorers with 30 points including 3-treys followed by Ryan Murray with 25 points. Images from the Girls High School varsity game.

The Town of Killingworth will hold a Special Town Meeting on Wednesday, February 16 at 8:00 p.m. in the All-Purpose Room of Killingworth Elementary School. For further information on the items of business, including specifics of the Five-Year Capital Plan and the Veteran's Exemption visit this Special Town Meeting page.

At last night's Board of Selectmen's Meeting, First Selectman David Denvir informed the Board that, despite reports to the contrary, the building fee issue with the Region 17 Building Committee has not been resolved.

Denvir said he received a letter from the District's Director of Finance and Operations Gary Shettle agreeing to reimburse the Town of Killingworth for 50 percent of the building fees out of the construction budget for the new $48 million Intermediate/Middle School. Denvir said because Killingworth contributed 47 percent of the construction budget, the agreement actually amounts to only a 25 percent reimbursement. Denvir said he thought he made it clear to the Building Committee that his objective was to have the Towns of Haddam and Killingworth split the fees equitably.

Denvir said if Haddam was unwilling to contribute, then the only way to have both towns share in the fees was for the District to pay the entire amount out of the school's construction budget.

Denvir said he drafted a letter to the District further explaining the Town's position and tried to contact Shettle and Schools Superintendent Gary Mala to reach an agreement. Selectmen Louis Annino, Sr and Fred Dudek adamantly agreed with Denvir that the fees should be shared.
UPDATE: On Friday, Feb. 18 Schools Superintendent Gary Mala confirmed that the Building Committee has a agreed to pay Killingworth the total amount of the fees.

An Open Space Planning Meeting, sponsored by the NEMO program of the University of Connecticut Cooperative Extension System, is scheduled for Monday, February 21, at 7:30 p.m. at the Old Town Hall (building located behind the Congregational Church). Killingworth is participating in NEMO's Municipal Initiative, a series of educational programs on land use planning and implementation.

The meeting will provide instruction on how to coordinate a Town Open Space Plan, which will guide Town open space priorities and be included in the next revision of our Town Plan of Conservation and Development. Members of Killingworth's land use commissions will be present, and all town residents are welcome and encouraged to attend.

NEMO stands for Non-point Source Education for Municipal Officials. Killingworth was selected for the Municipal Initiative last summer, and has participated in four educational programs to date. These include Linking Land Use To Water Quality; Reducing Runoff; Conducting a Community Resources Inventory, and Fees In Lieu of Open Space.

The Municipal Initiative is being coordinated by the Board of Selectmen and the Planning and Zoning, Inland Wetlands and Conservation Commissions. The educational programs are being provided by NEMO staff free of charge, in return for the Town's promise to utilize this information in new planning and regulatory documents and policies.

Leading the Open Space Planning meeting will be Jim Gibbons, a Land Use and Natural Resource Program Coordinator with the University of Connecticut Cooperative Extension System. Mr. Gibbons is a professional land use planner who has been on the University of Connecticut faculty for the past 28 years. Gibbons served on the Durham Planning and Zoning Commission for 14 years. In 1996 he was asked by Gov. Lowell Weicker to serve on the Connecticut Greenways Committee. He has also served on a number of state advisory boards dealing with open space and natural resource protection.
For further information on the meeting, please contact Conservation Commission Chairman David Gumbart at 663-2425.

The HK Recreation Department is sponsoring Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs on Thursday, February 24 from 1:00 - 2:30 pm at the HK High School Auditorium. The fee is $6 Adults / $5 children (ages 2-12) payable at the door. The show is presented and produced by the Newington Children's Theater, a traveling group of talented young people committed to the goal of presenting quality children's theatre.

Meet the captivating princess, the mischievous dwarfs, the prince, and the evil queen as well as the hilarious palace cat and an enchanted vixen. This enchanting musical, filled with song, dance and special effects, will delight audiences of all ages. A great activity during the school vacation.
For more information, please call the HK Recreation Dept. at 345-8334.

U.S. Rep. Rob Simmons has been assigned by the Republican leadership to the House of Representatives' new permanent Homeland Security Committee. Simmons, who also serves on the House Armed Services and Transportation and Infrastructure Committee requested a leave of absence from his post on the House Veterans' Affairs Committee.

The Homeland Security Committee handles oversight of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's counter-terrorism activities and relevant aspects of other federal agencies. U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays is also on the committee. Read more in today's New Haven Register.

The Haddam-Killingworth Track and Field teams finished ninth at the State Class S Indoor Track Championships in New Haven yesterday. Prince Tech won the boys team title with HK finishing tied for ninth with Old Saybrook. The Cougars were led by Ryan MacNeely, third in the 1000m; Cory Weiss, third in the 3200m and Jake Corbett, sixth in the 600m.

The girls team also placed ninth overall, tied with New London and Coginchaug; Career High School won the team title. Top performances were: The 4x200m Relay, second only to Career that set a new meet record; Meghan Scanlon, third in the 300m; Danielle Funaro, fourth in the 1000m and a fifth place finish by the 1600m Sprint Medley Relay.

Love Lessons: Twelve Real-Life Love Stories
by Lois Smith Brady
ISBN: 1568957726

Lois Smith Brady is a well-known contributor to the New York Times for her nationally syndicated "Vows" column. Having written more than 300 of these columns, Brady has the ability to get to the heart of the matter as she interviews couples about to be wed. Her collection Love Lessons expands upon the concept of the "Vows" column and delves deeper into the relationships of twelve of her favorite couples.

According to Lois Smith Brady, "These are stories with happy endings, all of them, and I write them down here as proof that love, optimism, guts, grace, perfect partners, and very good luck do exist. Love is not a fantasy experience, not the stuff of romance novels or fairy tales. It's as real as the subway, it comes around just as regularly, and, if you can just stick it out on the platform, you won't miss it."

Brady's tales are delightful, warm, and sometimes sprinkled with serendipity. She is also the author of Vows: Weddings of the Nineties from the New York Times.

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