Nike opened a retail store at Westfarms mall Nov. 13 and prepared for a weekend-long grand opening.

With huge budget deficits in Connecticut's immediate future, West Hartford's legislative representatives have been raising a lot of sand lately in support of regionalism, the idea that municipalities can band together to share resources and save money.

It was a lovely ceremony.

FARMINGTON - Incumbent legislator Beth Bye on Tuesday secured her second term as representative for the 19th General Assembly District, routing Republican opponent Theresa McGrath in West Hartford and part of Farmington and Avon.

FARMINGTON - Democratic incumbent Jonathan Harris handily won another term in the 5th District state Senate race Tuesday, beating Bloomfield Town Council member Joseph Merritt by more than a two-to-one margin.

FARMINGTON - Town officials and police are hoping someone can identify the "tag" left by graffiti vandals who did more than $2,500 in damage to a new mural painted by volunteers.

FARMINGTON - Supporters of the Barney Library renovation plan are much relieved after the final tally of last Tuesday's referendum revealed residents had agreed by a mere 245 votes to spend $1 million to help with a $3 million upgrade to the 90-year-old building on Main Street.

NEWINGTON - Since Gov. M. Jodi Rell announced plans were under way to address truck safety issues in the aftermath of a second serious crash at the base of Avon Mountain, area law enforcement leaders have been looking to address the same problem.

FARMINGTON - A recent survey of close to 1,500 local students revealed good and bad news: eighth-graders drink less than their peers nationally, but at the same time, high school seniors exceed the national norm in the percentage of kids who drink.

AVON - You might say farming is in Lucienne Witkowski's genes.

The Rip-It College Recruiting boy's lacrosse team, coached by Bill Rabbit of Simsbury and assisted by his son Mike, traveled to the University of Maryland, Baltimore County this summer to compete in the STX Shootout against teams from across the country.

The West Hartford Aquatic Team (WHAT) has been making positive waves in the pool and within the Farmington Valley.

It's been a town landmark off I-84 into the center of Farmington for at least three decades and the location of a family-owned car dealership for about five decades before.

Perhaps university degrees, prestigious teaching posts, artistic ability and a command of the English language are at the heart of Rennie and Sarah McQuilkin's "North Northeast."

Dr. Robert M. Villanova, superintendent of schools in Farmington, has been named Connecticut's 2008 Superintendent of the Year in a program open to all public school superintendents in the state and nation.

WATERBURY - Steve Jarvis spoke of mirror images.

An historic season for Farmington High girls' volleyball came to a highly competitive end on Nov. 17 for the sixth-seeded Indians at No. 3 East Lyme in a CIAC Class L quarterfinal.

A $6.7-million deal has been crafted to allow the town to buy the Krell farm on Route 177, until recently slated as a possible location for a 1,500-unit senior retirement facility, town officials said Friday, Nov. 2.

At a special meeting Nov. 1, the Board of Education approved Dr. Robert Villanova's recommendations and appointed Jessica Sciarretto as supervisor of special education and Kevin Hanlon as assistant principal of IAR Middle School.

Two area detectives helped Oregon authorities find an 8-year-old girl police said had been illegally taken out of that state as part of her mother's plan to relocate to Connecticut without telling the girl's father where they had gone.

The Farmington Indians girls' volleyball team will remember late October and the beginning of November 2007 for a long while.

Avon Rockets Boys U-11 Travel Soccer Team reaches semifinals
Congratulations to the Avon Boys U-11 travel soccer team for advancing to the Connecticut Cup semifinal round.

Freshman Republican Town Council Chair Michael Clark won his second bid for the seat, beating Democrat Michael Meade, a former council member, for the second time Tuesday by several hundred votes.