Killingworth resident Matthew Albrecht is no ordinary 17-year-old. At last month's high school awards ceremony, Albrecht was formally recognized for the extraordinary amount of time he has given to the Killingworth and Haddam communities and for the outstanding role model he is for community volunteerism.

Albrecht, who plans to attend Southern Maine Community College this fall and major in fire science technology, has logged almost 1000 hours over the past year between his work with the Killingworth Fire Company, Killingworth and Haddam Ambulance Associations and the Connecticut Coalition to Stop Underage Drinking. He is a certified Emergency Medical Technician and according to Bryan Mahoney, President of the Killingworth Ambulance Association, has been especially helpful during the daytime hours through the cooperation of the high school release program.

Following family tradition as the third generation of firefighters in the Albrecht family, he has been an active member of the Killingworth Fire Company Junior Division since he was 14 years old and in 2003 was elected its President. Killingworth Fire Chief Fred Dudek said Albrecht has shown strong leadership in his role as president and is a dedicated and enthusiastic firefighter.

This year the Killingworth Lions Club awarded Albrecht its Annual Service Achievement Award. This award recognizes a graduating senior who exemplifies the word "service". He was also awarded the Melinda Parahus Memorial Scholarship, the Bertolini Scholarship, the Killingworth Ambulance Association Scholarship and a CABE Leadership Award. As a junior he was a recipient of the Middletown Rotary Club "Service Above Self" Award.

In a town that proudly services its community with volunteer fire and ambulance companies, it seems fitting and commendable that one of its youth has picked up the torch and inspired others.

According to the New Haven Register, Pharmedica Communications recently signed five-year leases on both of the buildings on the Route 80/81 site. The property, owned by Lawrence Timmerman, was sold to M&M Holdings LLC, of Durham, last month for $4.1 million. Timmerman is the Pharmedica company founder and now a minority owner. Timmerman and Timmerman LLC, was the town's largest taxpayer in 2004.

Pharmedica will continue to occupy its original offices in the smaller of the two buildings and the company's call center employees from Essex have moved into the second, larger building.

The Killingworth Youth League Juniors (13-14) met host team Middletown under the lights at the cavernous Palmer Field Thursday night and left the Middletown hopeful stunned with a 9-3 KYL victory. Pitchers Chris Bova and Andrew Callahan backed up the solid effort by starter Robby Flynn.

Killingworth "flashed the leather and had the bats singing" all night in their District IX opener, led by outfielders Brad Nuhn and Billy Jette, who initiated three huge double plays. Alphonse Simeone's timely 2-RBI double broke the game open. Coaches Kumnick and Johnson commended the young men on their "total team effort against a big-time program".

Haddam-Killingworth High School Lacrosse Coach Lindsey Matteo will be running a lacrosse camp July 18-22 at the Joel Field Six in Clinton. The camp will run from 5:00 -8:00 p.m. at a cost of $165. The camp is open to ages 7-17. The camp is hosted by Academy International and anyone interested can sign up at www.academyinternational.net.

Interested in playing lacrosse next year for HK? This is a great way to get a head start, learn the basics and have fun!

State Senator Edward Meyer (D-Guilford) will be holding office hours in Killingworth next week to enable constituents to contact him directly without making the drive to Hartford. Sen. Meyer will meet with constituents on Tuesday, July 12, 2005 from 5-7 p.m. at the Killingworth Library, 301 Route 81. All members of the public and media are invited to attend.

The Killingworth Historical Society will hold a series of book sales this July with the first being held this Saturday, July 9 from 10:00 a.m.-12 noon at the Black Rock School on Recycle Way. Book sales will also be held on July 16, 23 and 30.

The Tuesday Book Discussion Group will meet on July 12 at 1:00 p.m. in the Killingworth Library Meeting Room to discuss the novel, "Anil's Ghost" by Michael Ondaatje. The selection for August 9 is "The Mermaid Chair" by Sue Monk Kidd. All are welcome to join.

Killingworth resident Josiah Howenstine pleaded innocent Tuesday, in Middlesex Superior Court on charges stemming from Howenstine's alleged involvement in the Feb. 28 disappearance of Jason Argersinger, who was kidnapped and shot to death in upstate New York. Howenstine is scheduled to appear for pre-trial proceedings on Sept. 19. Read all about it in today's Middletown Press.

The Norwich Premier Under-16 Boys Premier Soccer Team won the Coastal Summer Challenge Tournament held at Bowdoin College June 18 and 19. The team draws players from throughout southeast Connecticut including three boys from Killingworth; Tyler Bradley, Tucker Cumpstone and Matt Richer. The team won all four games played and didn't allow a goal the entire tournament.

Team photo includes Tyler Bradley, standing, third from the left, Matt Richer, standing, sixth from the left and Tucker Cumpstone, kneeling, fourth from the left. Photo by Bob Bradley

The Regional School District No. 17 Board of Education and Superintendent are pleased to announce that they have appointed Eric Larson as Principal of Burr District Elementary School effective in late July 2005. Larson was unanimously selected through a vote of the Board of Education at a special meeting held on June 30, 2005.

Larson was selected from a field of twenty-nine candidates after a comprehensive search and interview process. A committee comprised of parents, Board of Education members, faculty, staff and administrators was utilized to conduct the paper review process, first round interviews and second round interviews. Candidates for this position were also interviewed publicly at an open session held at Burr District Elementary School and then by the full Board of Education.

Input into the selection process was also secured by surveying the various constituent groups associated with the school district.

Prior to his appointment, Larson was the Assistant Principal at Pleasant Valley Elementary School in Groton, Connecticut for four years and taught for six years at the elementary level at Bethlehem Elementary School in Bethlehem, Connecticut.

Resident Cindy Erickson-Kelly has created the poster, 'Doors of Killingworth' to help raise funds to benefit 3-year-old Mikayla Nuhn, who recently underwent spinal fusion surgery at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. According to Erickson-Kelly, "The purpose of this poster is to bring forth the beauty of Killingworth, but most importantly it is to offset the medical/travel expenses of the Nuhn Family".

The poster is 11x17 and available for a donation of $10.00. Checks payable to: "KWOFBO Mikayla Nuhn fund". To order please email Doorsofkillingworth2005@hotmail.com

To donate directly to the Killingworth Women's Organization BankNorth Fund set up in Mikayla's name please contact Nadine Cabrera at BankNorth at (860) 663-3894 or stop by the Killingworth Branch to make a deposit to the account "KWO FBO Mikayla Nuhn Fund."

This week, Killingworth Democratic Town Committee member Pat Smulders continues the discussion on the Board of Selectmen's decision not to accept the State DEP conservation easement grant for a portion of the Town-owned Bosco property.

Citizens of Killingworth, friends and neighbors, there is certainly a great deal going on in our town these days. There are committees to study this and committees to study that. But, it seems to me, the most studies by far comprise land use and ball fields. Land use for open space. Land use for ball fields. Land use for schools. Land use for developments, i.e. single house parcels or cluster housing and, of course, the economic and environmental impact of each and every one of them. full story.

The Liberty Bank Family Entertainment Series, co-sponsored by the The Haddam-Killingworth Recreation Department and Liberty Bank will feature Hat City's Blues Band on Friday, July 8 from 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. on the Higganum Green.

This five-piece band has played private parties from Martha's Vineyard, MA, to Baltimore, MD, and points in between, plus popular Connecticut blues venues such as Black Eyed Sally's in Hartford and the Georgetown Saloon. Come Together, Mustang Sally, and All Along the Watchtower are among some of the favorite songs. Come out for a rockin' good time!

A household hazardous waste collection will be held Saturday, July 9 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. for residents of Chester, Clinton, Deep River, Essex, Killingworth, Lyme, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook and Westbrook at the Collection Facility at exit 4 off Route 9 in Essex.

Acceptable materials include gasoline, batteries, pesticides, oil-based paint, solvents and cleaners. For a complete list, call the Connecticut River Estuary Regional Planning Agency at 860-388-3497.

The next collection at the facility will be Aug. 6.

Reminders on how to hang your flag proudly today. Flag Code

The Haddam-Killingworth Recreation Department is offering gymnastics classes this summer on Tuesdays from July 12 - August 9 at the Haddam Killingworth High School Cafeteria. Session I will be for 3 year olds from 10:55 - 11:30 am. Session II will be for kids entering grades 1 & 2 from 11:30 - 12:15 pm. Session III will for 4 & 5 year olds from 12:15 - 1:00 pm. Session IV will for kids entering grades 3 - 5 from 1:00 - 1:45 pm. The fee is $45 for session I and $55 for session II - IV.

Students will be introduced to basic floor tumbling as well as some apparatus use. Tumbling Tots (ages 3 - entering Kindergarten) and Rollers (gr. 1-2) will work on front rolls, back rolls, cartwheels, handstands and bridges. They will learn to walk front and back on the balance beam as well as hops, skips, and little jumps. Cart Wheelers (gr. 3-5) will work on all basic tumbling skills including round-offs, limbers, and handsprings. They will also be introduced to the beam as well as learn squats and straddles on the vault.

HK Rec. still has openings in children's swim lessons. Each session has a limited number of spots available for all levels of swimmers. Classes are conducted at the HK High School Pool and are for kids ages 4 and up. Daytime lessons meet Monday through Friday. Dates and times are as follows:
Sessions 4 - 6: 7/11 - 7/22; 9:50 - 10:30 AM, 10:40 - 11:20 AM
Sessions 7 - 9: 7/25 - 8/5; 9:00 - 9:40 AM, 10:40 - 11:20 AM
Sessions 10 - 12: 8/8 - 8/12; 9:00 - 9:40 AM, 9:50 - 10:30 AM, 10:40 - 11:20 AM
Sessions 4 - 9 are $60 ($50 with new pool membership) and $70 for non-residents.
Sessions 10 - 12 are $30 ($25 with new pool membership) and $40 for non-residents.

Please call 345-8334 for more information, availability, and to register for both of these offerings.