KILLINGLY —  Responding to requests from veterans who work during the day or have other daytime commitments, the RSVP Veterans Coffeehouse in Killingly will expand by offering evening hours beginning in October.

The Coffeehouse, held at the Killingly Community Center, 185 Broad Street in Killingly, will now be open from 6 to 7:30 p.m.  on the second Tuesday of each month, in addition to its daytime schedule. The first evening Coffeehouse is at 6 p.m. Oct. 13.

The regular daytime schedule is from 9 a.m. to noon on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month. 

Coffee and snacks will be provided free to all veterans and their guests at all scheduled meetings.

Please contact Greg Kline at the RSVP office in Killingly (860-774-9286) with questions about the Coffeehouse or RSVP.

 

 

By Ron P. Coderre

The way Putnam Science Academy basketball coach Tom Espinosa’s luck has been running of late, he should take a trip down Route 395 to the casino or buy some Power Ball lotto tickets.  In his latest announcement it looks like Espinosa and the Mustangs have hit the jackpot with the signing of 6-foot, 4-inch point guard Eric Ayala.

Ayala will be in the class of 2018 at Putnam Science Academy.  He enters as a repeat sophomore and is already highly recruited by a number of NCAA Division I schools.  Those who have come knocking on his door include St. John’s University, the University of Cincinnati, Virginia Commonwealth University, the University of South Carolina, LaSalle University and Iona.

Ayala, who comes from Hockessin, Del., enjoyed a terrific season last year at the Sanford School.  He averaged 15.5 points per contest while dishing out four assists per game at Sanford.

“I’m excited to head up to Putnam Science and compete for a national championship and get to play alongside other high major players,” Ayala said in a news release.

“We’re pleased to bring Eric on board, not only for this year but for our future.  He’s a bona fide prospect and gives us a quality point guard with good size who’s capable of scoring as well as distributing the basketball,” said Espinosa of his latest recruit.

Putnam Science Academy, which has gone to the National Prep School Championships for the past two years, is having a banner signing season as they ready for another run at the National title.

 

 

BROOKLYN — The Northeast District Department of Health is reminding residents to take steps to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes. West Nile Virus (WNV) and Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) are two diseases transmitted by mosquitoes that are of particular concern in the late summer and fall. The State Mosquito Management Program reports that an increasing number of mosquitoes trapped by the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station are testing positive for WNV.

WNV is spread by the bite of an infected mosquito and can cause serious illness. While infections are usually not fatal, patients who develop meningitis or encephalitis may suffer long lasting symptoms of the nervous system. EEE is one of the most severe mosquito- transmitted diseases in the country. A fatal human infection of EEE in eastern Connecticut was recorded in 2013.

Residents of Connecticut are at highest risk of acquiring WNV and EEE infections in August and September, when the number of infected mosquitoes peaks.

“SWAT is an easy acronym to remember to prevent mosquito bites, “said Susan Starkey, NDDH Director of Health. “Install or repair Screens on doors and windows; Wear protective clothing to cover bare skin; Apply insect repellent according to instructions when going outdoors - mosquitoes are most active at dawn and dusk; and finally, Toss any standing water that may be collecting on your property. Water in wading pools, bird baths, buckets, barrels, flower pots, pet dishes, and tire swings should be changed or emptied regularly. These simple steps can help you reduce your risk.”

Connecticut Mosquito Management Program

The response to mosquito transmitted diseases in Connecticut is a collaborative inter-agency

effort involving the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, the Department of Public Health, the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Pathobiology at the University of Connecticut. These agencies are responsible for monitoring mosquito populations and the potential public health threat of mosquito-borne diseases. The CAES maintains a network of 91 mosquito-trapping stations in 72 municipalities throughout the state. CAES begins mosquito trapping and testing in June and continues into October. For information: www.ct.gov/mosquito.