Volume 19, Number 38
Serving Durham, Middlefield and Rockfall
www.TownTimes.com
Friday, Januar y 30, 2015
Green financing proposed for Middlefield By Mark Dionne Town Times
The Middlefield Board of Selectmen, at its regular meeting on Jan. 20, heard a proposal from Green Bank representative Alex Kovtunenko to bring financing for energy saving projects into Middlefield. Green Bank, formerly known as the Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority, is a quasi-public financing institutional funded by surcharges on utility bills. See Green / Page 6
Taste of Durham returns Feb. 7
Coginchaug sophomore Kaylie LeMere pumps her fist before the start of the game against Mt. Everett on Jan. 17 at the Northford Ice Pavilion. | Mark Dionne / Town Times
By Mark Dionne
Local hockey players relishing time on the ice
Town Times
Durham’s Public Association of Library Supporters has been busy preparing for the 19th annual Taste of Durham. The Taste of Durham, called a “Community Party” by PALS, will take place Saturday, Feb. 7 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Durham Public Library. See Taste / Page 6
Bruce Schmottlach entertains a past Taste of Durham crowd. Schmottlach’s music is one of many returning fixtures at the PALS event, which takes place this year on Feb. 7. | Mark Dionne / Town Times
By Mark Dionne Town Times
Parents of Coginchaug Regional High School hockey players who for the first time this year are able to skate on a regional high school team expressed gratitude for the opportunity. For the five CRHS skaters, hockey has long been part of their lives. When Kaylie LeMere was born, one of her grandparents brought hockey skates to the hospital and it didn’t take long for her to use them. “With a last name like LeMere, you have to play hockey,” Kaylie’s mother Michelle LeMere said.
Kaylie began skating at age two and a half and started hockey at age four. Kaylie continued with hockey growing up, on both boys and girls teams. The CRHS athletes play for the Lyman Hall Trojans. Lyman Hall serves as the host team, joined by CRHS and Haddam-Killingworth. George Lemieux, who served as a spokesperson when the hockey option was being considered, said that Lyman Hall was a good fit for CRHS because of the school’s proximity and tradition. George and Erin Lemieux’s son Zach grew up playing hockey but Erin never thought he would be able to play on a high school team. “We thought
that was it for hockey,” Erin said. Michelle LeMere had similar thoughts about Kaylie’s hockey. “I had figured she wouldn’t play for a high school team.” When she found out about the regional possibility, “I was so excited,” Michelle said. According to CRHS athletic director Nick Barbieri, the timing was right to join a regional team. A group of parents were expressing interest and the district had just received a review of its athletics program from the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletics Conference. Among other things, that report recommended both supporting parenSee Hockey / Page 2