Keith Justin Otis, 23, of Brainard Hill Road, Higganum, died Tuesday, April 6, 2010, in Salt Lake City, Utah.

He was born in New Haven, the son of Brad and Cindy (Faraci) Otis of Higganum. Keith was a graduate of Haddam-Killingworth High School, Class of 2005, where he also was the captain of the football team and played baseball. He went on to play baseball at Mitchell College. Keith was most recently living in Utah and coaching a high school baseball team.

Besides his parents, he is survived by his brother, Kyle Otis of Higganum; paternal grandfather, George Otis of Anderson, Ind.; also several aunts, uncles and cousins. He was predeceased by his paternal grandmother, Lillian Otis and his maternal grandparents, Joseph and Harriet Faraci.

The Funeral Liturgy will be held Monday at 11 a.m. at St. Peter's Church, St. Peter Lane, Higganum. Burial will be at the convenience of the family. Friends may call at Biega Funeral Home, 3 Silver St., Middletown, Sunday, from 4 to 7 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the CT Humane Society, 701 Russell Road, Newington, CT 06111.

HK Sports: The HKHS Girls Lacrosse team opened up the 2010 season at West Haven's Ken Strong Stadium on Thursday evening and the Cougars came away with a decisive 18-2 victory over the host Westies. Junior Amanda Johannes got HK on the board within the first 90 seconds of the game and the team never looked back. Johannes added an assist to go along with her season opening goal. Senior captains Mikayla Litevich (6 goals, 1 assist) and Camille Kostek (2 goals, 2 assists) led the way on the offensive end of the field. Junior Emily Anderson had 4 goals and 4 assists on the night and senior Fran Mastria, junior Sarah Muise, sophomores Nicole Armenia and Giana DeNisi and freshman Leah DiGregorio each added a goal. Junior goalie Teagan Ferguson only needed three saves in the win. The Cougars will host two non-league opponents next week as HK welcomes Sacred Heart Academy on Thursday the 15th and Bacon Academy on Friday the 16th. Opening face off for both games is 4 pm.

Spring is officially here! The Killingworth Volunteer Fire Company is looking for donations of quality items for their ANNUAL AUCTION. The event will be held on Saturday, April 17th from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM at Fire Headquarters on Route 81. The monies raised by the auction are used to supplement the fire company annual budget, as well as purchasing additional training and special fire/rescue equipment.

An "Auction Hotline" has been established for those wishing to donate items for the auction. The number is 860-663-2043 and the line is automatically answered 24 hours a day. Please leave your name, phone number and the items to be donated. A firefighter will return your call and make arrangements for pickup.

Don't forget to come to the auction, too! It's a fun day and refreshments will be available. Outfitting a cottage or dorm room? Looking for something unique at a bargain price? The auction is the place to be!!

The Visiting Nurse Association of South Central Connecticut (VNA/SCC) welcomes Diane Voccia, RN, who will serve as the agency's Continuous Care Liaison in the community.

Voccia resides in Killingworth, CT with her husband and two sons. She enjoys gardening and cooking.

Founded in 1904, the VNA/SCC, the original VNA of New Haven, Milford and the Valley, is a state licensed, non-profit, community based home health care agency. The VNA/SCC staff consists of highly skilled nurses, therapists, medical social workers and home health aides. A vital resource to the communities it serves, the VNA/SCC provides a wide range of specialized clinical services, community programs, the Nurturing Families Network and subsidized care to those who are in need.

Running Brook Farms on Route 80, will host a series of gardening and landscaping seminars this spring. The seminars are open to the public and most are free. There is a fee for the landscaping consultation in May. Space is limited, please email runningbrookfarms@comcast.net or call 860.663.5522 ext. 302 or 303 to register.

Saturday April 17 10:00am. Perennials: What's new for 2010 and Establishing a New Perennial Garden. Starting a new bed or just trying to maintain a current one? We will give you a step by step plan and a brief introduction to our new perennial line up. No fee to attend.

Saturday, April 24 10:00. Herbs and an introduction to herb gardening. Herbs are an easy addition to any garden and can be grown successfully in containers too. Come and join us as we launch our collection of herbs organically grown by Gilberties Herb Farm of Connecticut. No fee to attend.

Saturday, May 1 10:00 - 12:00 am. Designing and Planting Your Landscape. We can help you solve your landscape's problems. Sign up for a 30 minute consultation at the nursery with our professional designer and bring with you photos and dimensions of your garden or landscape. We will help you find the prefect solution! Cost: $30 per consultation.

Saturday, May 15 10:00am. Container Gardening and Combination Planters! You have seen our fabulous combinations here at the nursery and have seen them in magazines. Now you can come and see how to create your own planters using annuals like Proven winners! No fee to attend.

Container Combo Workshop After the Container Gardening demonstration we will have a short workshop where you can plant your own container with plants you've purchased. Fee: Workshop is free with a 10.00 charge for soil and cost of plants will be separate.

HK Sports: H-K Boys Tennis Defeats Coginchaug 5-2

The H-K's Boys Tennis team swept the singles matches in their season home opener. Patrick Gilhuly, H-K's Senior Co-Captain defeated Coginchaug's Mike Finley (6-3, 6-2) while H-K's other Co-Captain, Varun Ravishankar, beat Nick D'Aquila in straight sets (6-3, 6-3) in the match at #2 singles. Grant Armstrong moved up to the #3 singles position for H-K and came away with a (6-2, 7-5) win over Coginchaug's Mike Smith. Kyle Kelsey also moved up to the #4 singles slot and bested Tony Roudinone (6-2, 6-1). Tyler Montesi completed the singles sweep for H-K by spoiling Mark Flannery's singles debut at #5 singles by a (6-0, 6-2) score.

In doubles play Coginchaug won both the First and Second doubles matches. Chris Smith and Derek Cuneo were victorious over H-K's Gabe Kumnick and Steve Saunders (6-2, 6-2). In the Second doubles match Brian McDuff and Mike French were trailing in both sets but came up strong to defeat H-K’s Paul Morasutti and Paul Botti (6-3, 6-4).

"The Soloist" by Steve Lopez, is the non-fiction selection for the April 12th meeting of the Tuesday Book Discussion Group. Lopez, a journalist for the Los Angeles Times, began a series of articles and then this book on Nathaniel Ayers, a paranoid schizophrenic with the gift of music. Lopez first spotted Ayers "dressed in rags on a busy downtown street corner, playing Beethoven on a battered violin that looks like it's been pulled from a dumpster."

The book recounts the challenging relationship between journalist and homeless musician as Lopez takes steps to understand Ayers, his illness and his talent, and to get him medical help and a home. A recent movie of the same name starred Jamie Foxx as Ayers and Robert Downey, Jr. as Lopez. The discussion begins at 1:00 in the Killingworth Library meeting room and newcomers are always welcome.

Registration for the H-K Cougar Aquatic Team (CAT) Long course* season is now open. Visit our website at www.catswim.com for more information about our programs, fees, and registration forms. CAT is a sanctioned USA swim team that practices at the Haddam-Killingworth High School pool and competes at several locations and colleges around Connecticut and New England. Overseen by U.S. certified head coach, Mike Krajewski, CAT provides three competitive training programs consisting of children and young adults from the ages of 6-21, where individual needs and goals are given careful consideration and personal training. Swimmers are grouped into one of three programs (CAT, Cat Lite, Mini Cats) according to ability, age, and objectives. Our team is open to swimmers with the desire and determination to succeed in a sport strongly dominated by outstanding student athletes.

Visit our website at www.catswim.com or contact Robin Gibbons 860-345-7711, and prepare to take the first strokes to success! *Long course season runs mid April- end of July

HK Sports: HK Boys Tennis Opens Season With 5-2 win
The Cougars defeated the North Branford Boys Tennis Team by sweeping the singles matches while the Thunderbirds rebounded and took both doubles matches in their first match of the 2010 season. H-K's Senior Co-Captain Patrick Gilhuly bested Dewey Boatman (6-3, 6-0) at #1 singles. Gilhuly has run his Shoreline Conference regular season win streak to 21 matches at the #1 singles position with this win. # 2 singles was won by Senior Co-Captain Varun Ravishankar of H-K posting a (6-2, 6-3) over Mike Angeloni. H-K Junior Andrew McCurdy defeated North Branford's Mike Beavis (6-0, 6-0) at 3 singles and the Cougars Senior Grant Armstrong was victorious over Scott Jackson (6-3, 6-1) in the # 4 singles match. Senior Kyle Kelsey moved up to #5 singles after two successful seasons on the number one doubles team for H-K and was successful in his first singles match beating James Bilskis of North Branford by the score of (6-1, 6-1). "We needed every one of those matches because North Branford was in control of the doubles matches today, said H-K's Coach Rod Pakus. They were as strong in doubles as we were in singles. We know that we need experience in doubles and we got it today."

The Thunderbirds team of AJ Farkash and Taylor Chaturvedi survived the loss of the first set to win the match at First Doubles by the scores of (3-6, 6-3, 1-0 ret'd) over H-K's John LeHane and Gabe Kumnick and their Second Doubles team of Joe Parisi and Ryan Dombrowski defeated the Cougars new-comers Paul Boccia and Paul Morasutti in straight sets (6-2, 6-2). "When the Pauls came off the courts, I had to smile and remind them of their welcome to Shoreline Conference play and that good competition will make them better", said Pakus.

The HK Varsity Baseball team started the 2010 season off on the right foot with a, 9-1, pounding of the Morgan Huskies in Clinton. The Cougars wasted no time getting the offense going as they lit up the Husky starting pitcher for five runs in the first inning. Chris Milardo's 2 RBI single and Rob Flynn's 2 RBI double were the deciding blows in the inning.

That would be more than enough support for Flynn, who was the Cougar starting pitcher. He tossed seven innings of four hit baseball and allowed four walks, while striking out one.

Milardo (2-4, 2 RBI, 2 runs), Nate Silas (2-3, RBI, 2 runs), and Carson Mislick (2-3, 2 RBI, run) led the way for HK offensively. The Cougars will look to keep the bats hot as they travel to Valley on Friday for a 3:45 contest.

The HKHS Girls Tennis team lost to North Branford, 1-6. Our sole win came at #4 singles where sophomore Anna Shultz made her varsity debut easily besting Erica Stone 6-1; 6-0. Jess Simms made a valiant effort at #2 singles after losing the first set 4-6 she rallied from a 0-5 deficit in the second to end the match at 5-7

Senior Brittney Timothy made a strong showing at 3 singles in the first set, losing in a set tiebreaker 6-7; she then lost the second 2-6. All three doubles courts struggled but got on the board. All three doubles teams were making their debut in their positions. Juniors Carly Meegan and Michelle Roberge - first year tennis players- played at #3 doubles; Meg Wright and Emma Soneson (making her varsity debut) played #2 doubles; and Junior Co-Captain Kelsey Hawkins and senior Annie Bartosiak played #1 doubles.

We hope for better things today at Coginchaug. All in all, a reasonable first match - the heat was an issue for all the players, as was the ever present wind at HK. First match jitters added to the mix.

Storm Follow-ups

Now that a dove has been sighted with a green branch in its beak and we are all cleaning up from the floods, here is some information that may be useful.

First, though, I'd like to apologize to those who were turned away from the Transfer Station after 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. As people cleaned out their flooded basements, the containers quickly filled, and we simply ran out of capacity. Under state regulations, we are not allowed to leave unenclosed trash at the site, so we had no choice but to close up. I am terribly sorry for the inconvenience.

Second, the state government has set up an emergency loan program for homeowners who suffered severe damages in the floods. "The loans, offered at an interest rate of 2 percent, will cover the repair of damage to basements, foundations, roofs and insulation," according to the governor's office. "The loans will also cover the purchase of critical appliances such as furnaces and hot water heaters that were damaged from basement flooding." If you wish to file for state assistance, please contact the First Selectman's office at Town Hall to be added to the list and directed to the proper forms. And document, document, document: take photos, write notes, make measurements.

The Killingworth Park and Recreation Commission will sponsor the Annual Fishing Derby this Saturday, April 10 from 8-10 a.m. at Sheldon Park Pond. Participants must be 12 years old or younger. The pond is stocked with trout! Prizes for largest fish/age group and golden trout Bait fishing only. Bait generously provided by the Country Cloverleaf Store.

The Killingworth Ambulance Association will be holding there annual meeting on Wednesday, April 28, 2010, at Killingworth Ambulance Association on Route 81. The purpose of this meeting is to elect the Board of Directors, Officers of the Association and set the annual dues. The meeting will be held at 8:00PM. All associate members are invited.

Doris Auger Lamb, 64 of Killingworth, died Sunday, April 4, 2010 after a long battle with Alzheimer's Disease. Her husband and brother were by her side. She was born in Beauvais, France on November 6, 1945 to the late Christianne (Delaporte) Auger and Ralph Joseph Auger. She is survived by her husband, William Charles Lamb. Besides her husband she is survived by four children: William Brainerd, Jr., and his wife Kate Shepard of Chester, Michele Brainerd Nuhn and her husband Todd of Killingworth, Christian Brainerd of Guilford, and Marc Brainerd of Guilford; her two step-children Tonya Lamb Steskla and her husband Brian of Cheshire, and Thomas Lamb and his wife Maria of Beacon Falls. She is also survived by her brother Allen Auger and his wife Cindy of Anderson, SC; her sister Suzanne Auger Condie and her husband Jon of Killingworth; her grandchildren: Alexis and Mikayla Nuhn of Killingworth, Sarah Shepard and Emily Brainerd of Chester, her step-grandchildren: Tyler, Trevor, and Lia Steskla of Cheshire and many nieces and nephews. Doris is a 1963 graduate of Sacred Heart Academy in Hamden. For many years, Doris was a home daycare provider in Killingworth. She worked for 12 years at the Knights of Columbus in New Haven until her retirement in 2001. Before her illness, Doris enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren, Country Western music, dancing and taking long car rides.

Funeral service will be celebrated at 10 AM on Wednesday at the Cornerstone Church in Clinton with burial to follow at Evergreen Cemetery in Killingworth. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Alzheimer's Assoc. of CT Chapter, 279 New Britain Rd. Suite 5, Kensington CT 06037 or Hospice of South Eastern Connecticut, 227 Dunham Rd., Norwich CT 06360 in memory of Doris Lamb.

Sunday: March 28:
• 11:18:00 Structure Fire, Clinton, Route 81.
Monday: March 29:
• 04:42:31 Structure Fire, Clinton, Sunnybrook Lane.
Tuesday: March 30:
• 18:54:21 Public Service, Roast Meat Hill Road.
Thursday: April 1:
• 08:47:43 Medical Call, Livemore Trail.
• 20:23:00 Structure Fire, Chester, Dock Road.
Friday: April 2:
• 01:04:05 MCA, Route 81.

My service as chairman of the General Assembly's Environment Committee provides a great opportunity to improve the quality of our lives. The work of the Environment Committee in the current legislative session has just ended with some good results.

I covet open space, even having a bumper sticker on my car which says "Have you saved any open space today?" With the help of the Connecticut Audubon Society, we passed a bill that sets up a state registry and map of open space and identifies specific animal habitats. We continued the important Community Investment Act which raises funds from the filing of public records and dedicates those funds to the preservation of open space. A further bill approved by the Environment Committee establishes a buffer zone between our wetlands/rivers and commercial or residential development.

We also made significant progress on other environmental matters -- municipal recycling, new incentives for solar and other renewable energy and a substantial reduction of the fees at state parks and camps. Those fees had last year been hiked 100 percent, but in a bill I introduced last month, the increase was reduced to 20 percent.

On the negative side, the large state budget deficit did cost the environment, particularly in sweeping a variety of good conservation funds into the General Treasury. Further, fees paid by utility ratepayers which had been applied to energy efficiency programs were also swept into the General Treasury. Finally, the Department of Environmental Protection will not gain much-needed staff to enforce our environmental standards and permits. Each of these losses must be addressed in better economic times.

What is the fascinating story of Abraham Symons, a "Narragansett Indian", student of Moors Indian Charity School and Dartmouth who died in 1812 and is buried in the Old Ponsett Cemetery in Higganum?

The Haddam Historical Society will host an illustrated talk by local resident Arthur Wensigner on Thursday, April 8, 2010 at the Higganum Firehouse, 439 Saybrook Road, Higganum, CT. Admission is $3 for the general public and free for society members. Light refreshments will be served. For additional information please visit www.haddamhistory.org or call 860-345-2400.

The Killingworth Women's Organization and the Killingworth Lions Club are sponsoring a May Day Wine and Champagne Tasting on Saturday, May 1st from 5-10 p.m. at the Killingworth Library.

The elegant affair will include the newest wines and a wide array of delicious hors d'oeuvres. Ticket are $35 per person in advance and $45 per person at the door and are available now at the Library ( cash of check) or through the KWO's website (www.killingworthwomensorg.org). Tickets are limited.

The proceeds will support several of the Library's most popular programs that are in jeopardy due to the elimination of a $5000 grant from the American Savings Foundation. The programs due to be cut include the summer reading program for pre-readers through 5th grade; the popular children's music program "Music with Margie"; Traveling Tales (a reach out and read program with local day cares and schools); Terrific Twos,' Signing with Jaye and the free museum passes for children and adults to local attractions such as Mystic Aquarium and Mystic Seaport.

The Killingworth Tax Collector's Office will be closed today, Monday April 5, 2010

Attention Killingworth Residents:
The Forest Fire Danger remains HIGH throughout Middlesex County with warm weather and continued LOW humidity forecasted through this week.

NO outside burning should occur whenever conditions are deemed by the DEP to be High, Very High, or Extreme.

Connecticut's woodland areas are in the spring fire season which runs from mid-March to mid to late May. This is the time of year when deciduous trees are bare of leaves and the spring sun heats up and dries out the woodland litter that makes up forest fuels. As each day grows longer and the direct sun light gets stronger this heating mechanism dries out leaves, grasses, twigs, small branches and decaying material in the soil. Along with the windy days evaporating any recent rain, the heat from the sun makes these fuel sources dry out extremely fast and with the smallest ignition source will burn rapidly and will spread very fast on the forest floor.

The burning of leaves, grasses and garden vegetation is prohibited because of air pollution considerations. Garden materials and leaves should be composted.

The Department of Forestry Service, of the DEP, offers the following steps to Connecticut homeowners to protect your family and home: