Haddam-Killingworth High School senior Christopher DiStefano testified Friday in front of the State's Judiciary Committee in support of a bill that would make it illegal for private property owners to knowingly allow minors to possess alcohol on their property. Current state law allows a person to hold an underage drinking party at their home or on their property. Read more about this in today's Hartford Courant.

Free, confidential income tax assistance is available in Killingworth and other shoreline communities. Trained volunteers will help persons age 60 and older in preparing their federal and state returns. Volunteers will be at St. Lawrence Church on alternate Tuesdays 2/28, 3/14, 3/28 and 4/11 from 9:00 a.m. until noon. Note: This year the program will use the meeting rooms of the church building, not the parish hall. For more information or an appointment, call 388-1611.

When you come to your appointment, please bring all your earnings records and year-end tax statements as well as a copy of last year's return. Don't worry if you think you might not have all the forms you might need - the volunteers will have the necessary forms available. There is also additional help and information on the AARP Tax-Aide website.

All parents, coaches, and other interested parties are encouraged to attend an HK Travel Basketball meeting on Saturday, February 25 at 11:00 a.m. in the Killingworth Library Meeting Room. The purpose of this meeting is to set the framework for the 2006-2007 season. We do not expect all issues to be resolved at this meeting, but rather recorded and voted on after the upcoming election.

PROPOSED DISCUSSION TOPICS:

Proposed Bylaw changes
Issues regarding scheduling
Written rules for the League
Suggested changes for next season
Set agenda for following meeting

The adult book discussion group, Voyages: Stories of Men, Women and the Sea, will continue on Thursday, March 2 with Linda Greenlaw's The Hungry Ocean. The discussion will take place at the Library from 7:30-9:00 p.m. The final book in the four part series will be Nathaniel Philbrick's In the Heart of the Sea. This discussion will take place on March 16. There are many copies of each in the library. Newcomers are welcome.

The HK High School Girls Basketball team lost, 44-41, in overtime last night to Old Lyme in the semi-finals of the Shoreline Conference Championships. The Cougars trailed, 20-19, at the half and kept the score close until taking the lead late in the fourth quarter. Old Lyme regained the lead on a 3-pointer with just a minute left in regulation, but Megan Murray tied it up at 38 with just 30 seconds on the clock. As time ran out, Old Lyme turned over the ball, but the Cougars could not convert. In overtime, HK struggled to answer when Old Lyme scored and with senior Ashley Smith on the bench with an injury, time ran out for the Cougars.

Murray led the Cougars with 12 points followed by Ashley Smith with 8 and Shelby VanHuysen with 7. Read what Coach Tom Cappello had to say in today's Middletown Press.

The 2005-2006 All-Shoreline Conference teams were announced: HK's Megan Murray was named to the Second Team and Michelle Fillion was named Honorable Mention. More photos available in the Winter Sports Photo Gallery

Pictured: Michelle Fillion on a jumper; Ashley Smith fights under the boards; The All-Shoreline Conference Second Team including Megan Murray.

The HK Boys Basketball team defeated Westbrook, 72-63, last night in its final regular season game. The Cougars dominated in the first half, but nearly gave the game away in the stretch with a run of turnovers. HK led, 36-20, at the half but let the lead slip early in the fourth quarter. The Knights got to within four with 35 seconds to go, but Tyler Riordan and Dennis Annicelli each sank a pair of free throws to put the game out of reach. Riordan led the Cougars with 23 points followed by Brian Foley with 15, Dan Wendt with 10 and Travis Seirpinski with 8. More photos available in the Winter Sports Photo Gallery Pictured: Travis Seirpinski (left) fights his way in for a score and Tyler Riordan (right) puts in a jumper.

Haddam-Killingworth High School senior Jake Corbett concluded his final indoor track season on a high note, with a 6th place finish in the CIAC Open Indoor Championships last Saturday in New Haven. Corbett finished with a time of 2:37.26. The Boys 1600 Sprint Medley, that includes Corbett, James Schuster, Peter Rynkowski, William Kolodziej, Chris Anselmo and Christopher Jamieson, finished eighth. Kevin Bailey cleared 5'10" to finish 13th in the High Jump.

In the Girls Meet, Meghan Scanlon and Katelyn Deimel were the Cougars' top performers, finishing 13 and 14 respectively in the Long Jump.

In Basketball action, the HK Boys team visits Westbrook tonight at 7:00 p.m. for the final game of the regular season. Read a profile of senior Tyler Riordan in the Middletown Press.

The HK Girls team takes on Old Lyme, Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. at Valley Regional. Read a profile of Megan Murray in the Middletown Press. The girls semi-final games were postponed due to the death of Morgan's assistant coach and Clinton selectman Ed Hidek. Read more about this in the New Haven Register.

The HK Boys Swimming and Diving team defeated Berlin, 97-82, on Senior night. Cougar seniors include Jim Hanson, Kevin Ludington, Tyler Adams and Eric Armstrong. Read more about the meet in the Clinton Recorder.

The rising costs of goods and services have left the HK High School Project Graduation Committee no choice but to send out a request to all citizens of Haddam and Killingworth for their support. In order to make this a safe, substance and alcohol-free event that the seniors would enjoy coming to, it takes time and a lot of money! The members of the Project Graduation committee have, and will, commit the time, now we need your help financially.

Please consider making a contribution to this Graduation celebration.

There has not been a Graduation Night tragedy since this program was initiated 17 years ago. Any questions, comments, or inquires can be directed to: Chair Person Nancy Bradley at 663-2485 or Vice Chair Person Laura Dowd at 345-3109.

The next Project Graduation Committee meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, March 14, 2006, in the Lower Media Center of the High School at 7:30pm. Come join us!

Check out the progress at the new Haddam-Killingworth Middle/Intermediate School on Route 81. Students from the current middle school will be moved into the new $48 million school in January 2007. February School Update Slideshow