Killingworth resident, Kevin T. Kane was unanimously appointed Friday as the new head of the State's Division of Criminal Justice. Kane has been the state's attorney in New London since January 1995. His new position as the State's Chief Attorney will begin in September.

According to the Hartford Courant, Kane has prosecuted a number of high-profile criminal cases, including the conviction and eventual execution of serial killer Michael Ross, the kidnapping case of Mystic schoolteacher Leslie Buck and the murder-for-hire trial of Old Saybrook attorney Beth Ann Carpenter.

Kane said he, "will push for better training, improved communication and crime-fighting tools for prosecutors" in the Division of Criminal Justice. Read more about Kane's agenda in the Hartford Courant's followup article.

The 3rd Annual Century 21 Home Run Derby sponsored and funded by Century 21 Access America, was held was held Monday night July 17. It was a great time for all of the fabulous baseball hitters here in our own little town of Killingworth.

Despite the oppressive heat, the kids, coaches, moms, dads, sisters, grandparents and friends came out to cheer on their very own sluggers. There were lots of hard hit, line drives that had the coaches and junior volunteers jumping out of the way. But the key to this event was to try to "pop" them up and "outa" there. Although the competition was great, the top three hitters for the major leaguers: 1st place: Andrew "Duke" Mead; 2nd place: Reece Gessick; and 3rd place: Lucas Hannen. The top two hitters of the minors leaguers: 1st place: Nate Kelly and 2nd place: Tyler Cornell. Congratulations Guys! Fabulous efforts! See ya next year! photo courtesy. E. Boulay.

To the Editor:
The selectman's office must sometimes seem like a flak catcher's job and the incoming flak is not always handled with grace. The flak throwers themselves can and do sometimes lack grace. Let's concede that mistakes have been made, and impatience exhibited. It's time for a truce. Let's walk in each other's shoes, and remember that we are neighbors in a small community.

The town of Killingworth and its selectmen have a full plate. And the issue that is most divisive, at the moment, seems to be the inaptly named Lover's Lane. I believe there is a Board of Selectmen's meeting this Monday night. Voting on a compromise to the road opening/closing controversy could be a beautiful and timely thing. Read more

Models posed, cameras flashed and twelve young teens recently became the first graduates of the Arts Center at Killingworth's Fashion Week. From July 10 - 14, students from ages 11 to 16 learned the intricacies of fashion illustration from artist, Gloria Nilsson, and then after lunch spent the afternoon with Lynn wheeler, Managing Director of The Arts Center cutting patterns, draping, pinning and sewing their own fashionable lounge pajamas. Most had never used a sewing machine, but by the end of the week the machines were whizzing away thread and shreds of material on every table at The Arts Center. Midweek each participant brought in a piece of jean clothing for an afternoon of embellishing! Everyone couldn't wait to use the jewels, fabric paints, ribbons and the variety of edgings from furs and velvet to lace and glitter. Capping off the week was a photo shoot that allowed the girls to model their own creations, as well as, a presentation by two industry professionals, Joe and Alina Vior.

"We hope this experience will show the participants there are many opportunities in the fashion world not just top model or high fashion designer," said Barbara Nair, Artistic Director of the Arts Center at Killingworth. "The goal of this program was to show the girls that fashion is an industry requiring many skills and is not just about glamour. Of course, we wanted them to have fun, too!"

Joe and Alina Vior, who have worked in the fashion business for the past 20 years, were well qualified to give the participants insight into the many opportunities in the industry. Joe, a Creative Art Director, working with Vogue Knitting, Knit Simple, Knit 1, Crochet Today, and Cutting Edge has just launched a new fashion crafter magazine, Adorn. Using fashion boards, modeling portfolios, and magazines Joe showed the girls that the industry is both an art and a business.

Alina Vior, has been Creative Director of the Lane Bryant Catalog since 2000. Her expertise in fashion art direction for retail has been essential for the success of the brand. She heads a team of eight who create a concept and then juggle photography, styling, model booking, and scheduling.

The Arts Center wants to expand this program offering classes in fashion illustration and sewing in the Fall. If you are interested, please, call (860)663-5593 for more information and sign up for the mailing list on the website www.artscenterkillingworth.org. photos courtesy L.Wheeler.

To the Editor:
I knew Marty Klein years ago, and always knew him to be a compassionate, caring, and extremely intelligent person. He devoted many years and much effort in humanitarian and educational missions overseas. With this in mind, I am dumbfounded to see what's going on with his closure of Lover's Lane, given the response from an aroused citizenry. Even if there is an "environmental goal" in mind, it must be superseded by concerns of welfare and safety, especially in a health emergency, of the residents of that area.

Marty, please consider what you're doing in this situation. There is a groundswell reaction in town which - if things are not rectified in the interests of fairness and the welfare of all concerned - will backfire.

There's an old saying in public service, which I learned years ago working in FCC licensed radio emergency amateur radio service, and that is that actions should be taken in the "public interest, convenience, and necessity".

Opening Lover's Lane immediately would satisfy all three of these conditions, and restore our trust in our First Selectman - it is, after all, an elected position; and any student of history is aware of the eventual fate of those who attempt to govern in a unilateral, non-representative fashion.
Yves Feder

The KYL Junior All-Star team brought home another District 9 Title to
Killingworth by defeating Portland in the championship game Tuesday night at Palmer Field in Middletown with a score of 4-2. According to Coach Kirk Morgan,"The defense was flashing the leather all night. It was a great team effort and the boys should all be proud of the way they have played".

The team will start play in the state sectional this Friday, July 21 in Colchester. Games will be played at the Colchester Park and Rec Complex at 215 Old Hebron Road (map). Game times are: Fri. 7/21 5:00 p.m.; Sat. 7/22 6:30 p.m.; Sun. 7/23 6:30 p.m.

Please turn out to support the team and root them on!

The KYL Junior All-Star team: Front Row: Kevin Dahlberg, Christian DeMorro, Chris Pfrommer,Andrew Brough and Robbie Kolodziej. Back Row: Coach Tom DeMorrro, Manager Alyn Johnson, Matt Morgan, Rob Flynn, Andrew Callahan, Max Amendola, Henry Tobelman, Alphonse Simeone, Andrew Dougherty, Brad Boulay, Coach Kirk Morgan, Matt Johnson (not pictured) Photo courtesy of L. Dougherty.

To the Editor:
Some say a picture is worth a thousand words. Since our First Selectman doesn't take time to check the depth of the water on Lover's Lane before closing it from use by those of us who pay taxes to use our roads, I took some photographs on Tuesday for him. Mr. Klein, enough is enough. Please put your pride aside and serve your community. Open Lover's Lane.
Jamie Mowat Young

Connecticut Junior Soccer Association's Norwich Premier Soccer Team U-17's competed in Burlington, Vermont's Nordic Cup soccer tournament on June 17-18. The team competed against teams from Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey.

The prestigious win for the team was the second in two years, as last year the team earned the top prize in Brunswick Maine's Coastal Summer Challenge. Norwich Premier Soccer is ranked 5th in the state; 75th regionally; and 335th nationally in tournament rankings by the website www.gotsoccer.comThe players for Norwich represent high schools throughout the southeast areas of Connecticut.

Norwich Premier Soccer Team: 1st row l to r: Garrett Bowen (The Morgan School); Alex Deltgen (St. Bernard's High School); Micah Evans (Norwich Free Academy); Anthony Restivo (Norwich Free Academy); Andre Nichalos ( Norwich Free Academy); Frantzy Noze (Norwich Free Academy); Thomas Redhead (Norwich Free Academy)
2nd row l to r: Head Coach Brian Howe; Tyler Bradley (Haddam Killingworth High School); Tucker Cumpstone (Haddam Killingworth High School); Noah Mandel (Norwich Free Academy); Brandon McFarlane (Norwich Free Academy); Sean Fisher (Griswold High School); Michael Guerra (The Morgan School); Connor Gaeta (The Morgan School); Assistant Coach Colin Redhead. Photo courtesy N. Bradley

To the Editor:
Today (Tues.) there was yet another accident at the corner of Rte 148 & Rte 81, blocking traffic to the North end of Town. Lover's Lane, our only alternative, is as dry as a bone yet remains closed to traffic, probably because of a vendetta Marty Klein has with the residents in this end of Killingworth. If we have a heart attack or fire we are done for. This seems to bring him glee in his small mindedness. It has been reported that he told the DPW that if the locks he installed across Lover's Lane are broken again they should dig a trench across the road. This is illegal & immoral.
It's time to call for this dictator's recall. Where are the other Selectmen?? Why don't they rein him in??
Sincerely yours,
Arlene Tunney

To help kick off Killingworth Brownie Troop 2818's "Giving Gardens" community project, Jerry Papoosha of Running Brook Farms recently introduced the Troop to the basics of caring for tomato plants. With plants and material donated by Running Brook Farms, the girls learned about different kinds of tomatoes and the importance of properly watering and fertilizing their plants.

The Troop members plan to make their gardens "Giving Gardens" by donating the tomatoes they grow to a local food pantry in August. And, they hope the community will participate too!

The girls invite you to bring vegetables from your own garden to the Rocco Reale Field parking lot (in front of the Transfer Station) the morning of Saturday, August 19. The Troop will be there from 10:00 a.m. to noon to collect the community's contributions and will then make the delivery to a local food pantry while the produce is fresh. Remember, every vegetable counts! Make your garden a Giving Garden!

Members of Brownie Troop 2818 learning how to grow tomato plants for a very worthwhile purpose. photo courtesy C. Anderson

The HK Travel Basketball League will be holding tryouts for their 2006-07 season on the following dates:

September 11, 2006 (Monday) Boys HK Fieldhouse 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
September 12, 2006 (Tuesday) Girls HK Fieldhouse 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Boys and girls entering grades 4-8 in the 2006-07 school year are eligible to play (4th graders must be 9 years old by 09/01/06 and 8th graders must be 13 years old by 09/01/06).

If your child is interested in playing and/or you are interested in coaching, or if you have any questions or concerns, please send an e-mail to HKTravelbball06@comcast.net.

The H-K Recreation Summer Swim team has started the 2006 season with a 2-1 record, including wins over the Glastonbury Park and Rec. Team, 329-203, and the Middlesex Pool and Tennis Club, 370-174. The buzz of activity and the constant roar of cheering make the meets, win or lose, an excited experience.

The team draws swimmers mostly from Haddam and Killingworth but welcomes swimmers from neighboring towns. It also has an ongoing partnership with the Cougar Aquatic Team (CAT) Swim program. Coaches Katie Tietjen and Jamie Cannata are very pleased with the start of the season. Tietjen said, "the swimmers are improving their strokes, having fun, and learning about swimming and sportsmanship". The win against Glastonbury was especially sweet because it was the first win against them in many years.

For more information on the HK Summer Swim Team, contact HK Recreation at 345-8334. The next home meet is Tuesday, July 18 against Old Saybrook.

On Saturday afternoon, the Library hosted a 'Puddy Cat Party' to introduce young animal lovers to the Forgotten Feline organization. The Library is in the midst of its summer reading program with the theme this year of wanting, choosing, and caring for a pet. Children's Librarian Gayle Byrne invited representatives from Forgotten Felines to give a presentation on cats and kittens in need of good homes. The children brought a stuffed cat to join them for the program and provided food or a toy as a gift to the cats back at the shelter.

Tom Shultz and Fostering Coordinator Kathryn Gomard talked about the generous foster families, that provide short term homes for animals waiting to be adopted, as well as the new facility in Clinton that currently houses more than 150 homeless cats. Many of the foster families started out looking for a cat to adopt and ended up volunteering with the organization. Gomard related several homeless cat stories with some happy and some sad endings. The program concluded with two special and slightly frightened kitten guests. They are being fostered with a family in Killingworth and are looking for new and permanent homes.

Forgotten Felines is a non-profit organization run by volunteers and supported solely by contributions. If you are interested in volunteering as a foster family, adopting a cat or kitten, or would like to support these volunteers' efforts, please call 860.669-1347 or email info@forgottenfelinesct.org.

State police charged Andrew Rushford, 53, with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, reckless driving, driving under suspension and second-degree assault with a motor vehicle, Friday after he cut off a tractor-trailer on Interstate 95 southbound, triggering a collision that sent the two vehicles across the median and into oncoming traffic.

The accident, which happened after 9:00 p.m., north of Exit 71 in Old Lyme, shut down the highway for more than six hours.

After the tractor-trailer, driven by Charles Hotham, 48, of Westfield, Maine, crossed the median, it slammed into a vehicle traveling north in the left lane.

Hotham suffered minor injuries, while the driver and passenger of the third vehicle, identified as Owen Miller, 33, and Austin Thibeault, 5, both of Groton, were transported to Hartford Hospital with serious injuries.

The Town's first new ballfield in 20 years should be ready for the fall baseball/softball season, according to Eric Auer, who proposed the project and made the calls that brought volunteers out to help. Auer said he was very pleased with the project. He said about 15 people were responsible for making the field happen. Everyone he asked to help, went far and beyond what was expected, he said.

The budget for the small field on Bethke Road was $45,000, but Auer said because of the volunteers' generosity, the cost will be about half. The field, which by agreement with the Killingworth Land Trust, will be used as a practice field, now sports a backstop, an outfield fence and approximately 17 parking spaces. Auer said he is also having rustic gates made. He said they need to "pretty it up" a little but it will be ready to go for fall.

The selectmen praised Auer for his work and requested a time in the fall to honor the volunteers.

Killingworth Youth League is currently conducting a mail-in registration for Boys and Girls Minor and Majors Fall Ball. The fee is $45 per player. Registration forms are available to download and print (please make 2 copies) online at www.kylbaseball.org. Checks should be made payable to KYL and mailed to: KYL, PO Box 714, Killingworth, CT, 06419. Any questions about the program can be directed to KYL Co-President Mark Simoniello at 663- 2060; or Co-President Cheryl Burns at 663-0997. Registration forms must be received by August 1.