🌱 CTDOT Virtual Public Meeting + Woman Identified Decades Later

Hi all. It's me, Nicole Fallon-Peek, your host of the The Haddams-Killingworth Patch newsletter — here to tell you all the most important things happening in town these days.

But first, your local weather:

• Friday: Partly sunny and very warm. High: 86 Low: 71.
• Saturday: Humid; an afternoon t-storm. High: 86 Low: 71.

Here are the top three stories today in The Haddams-Killingworth:

1. CTDOT is hosting a virtual public information meeting on Jul. 18 at 7:00 p.m. to discuss the replacement of the Route 149 Bridge over Dykas Brook in East Haddam. The meeting will be held on Zoom and will include a Q&A session. Currently outdated and in poor condition, the project's plan is to replace the bridge with a current standard structure. Construction is expected to begin in the fall of 2025, with an estimated construction cost of $4.6 million. (CT.gov)
2. Nearby New Haven resident Rafael Serrano, 35, who pleaded guilty to first-degree larceny and failure to appear, was sentenced on Wednesday to serve three years in prison. Serrano stole over $35,000 worth of merchandise and caused more than $2,000 worth of damage at the Wet Pet Aquarium in November 2021. DNA evidence and cellphone location data are how police were able to determine Serrano was the suspect. (Wilton Bulletin)
3. Down the road, the West Haven Police Department confirmed that the skeletal remains found at New Haven Water Company in 1979 belong to Sarah "Sally" Tatham Abbott. Collaborating with Othram in 2022, Medicolegal Death Investigator Michelle Clark used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing to create a DNA profile to help identify the unknown woman at the time. The cause of death has still not been determined. (DNASolves)

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Today and tomorrow in The Haddams-Killingworth:

Friday, July 7

• Let’s Get Groovy At Wolf's Den Family Campground (12:00 PM)

Saturday, July 8

• July Open Trails At I-Park (2:00 PM)
• Wellness Day At Ray Of Light Farm (4:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• The Killingworth Volunteer Fire Company held its annual elections during its monthly meeting on Jul. 3. Newly elected officers were selected and will continue to serve. Plus three new members were voted into active status, Chris Mello, Anthony Gentile, and Wendell Sprague. (Killingworth Volunteer Fire Co. via Facebook)
• The Killingworth Road Race is Aug. 5 at the Congregational Church in Killingworth, and volunteers are still needed to help at the registration and water stations. Registration is required to enter. Click here to register. Contact Matt Link to volunteer at mlink6@hotmail.com. (The Congregational Church in Killingworth, UCC via Facebook)
• Save the date! The annual Family Programs in the Park will be held at Devil’s Hopyard State Park. The event will be held on Saturdays, Jul. 15, Jul. 22, and Jul. 29, from 10:00-11:00 a.m. All are welcome, and reservations are not required. Come out for a great time! Oh, and don’t forget your chair or blanket. (Eightmile Wild & Scenic River Watershed via Facebook)

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Featured events:

• Ray of Light Farm Hosts Wellness Fundraiser (July 8)

Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Friday! I'll be back in your inbox soon with another update.

— Nicole Fallon-Peek

About me: Nicole Fallon-Peek is a journalist and copywriter with a degree in Media, Culture and Communication from New York University. She has served as a freelance reporter, managing editor, copy editor, and editorial director for a variety of B2B news outlets. She currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.