NEW LONDON - Sunday's New London Fire Department's chicken barbecue and community club's duck derby were both big successes, with the fire department selling out and almost all of the chances on ducks being sold.

MONROEVILLE - The park across from St. Joseph Catholic Church is about to get spruced up, thanks to Boy Scout Alex Heacock. Read the rest of this story in Today's Reflector...

Nursing is a profession focused on assisting individuals, families and communities in attaining, re-attaining, and maintaining optimal health and functioning, according to Wikipedia.com. National Nurses Week, May 6 to 12, is a time to recognize those men and women who chose this challenging and rewarding career. Read the rest of this story in Today's Reflector...

This Memorial Day weekend, local residents will have the chance to plant flowers in memory of loved ones who have died.<p><em>Read the rest of this story in <a href="http://activepaper.olivesoftware.com/Default/Skins/Norwalk/Client.asp?Skin=Norwalk&Daily=NRWK&AppName=1">Today's Reflector</a>...</em></p> <p> </p>

Zenobia Road resident Judy Berner, one of several victims in a water softener scam, said she is grateful to see a judge "throw the book' at the culprit with a prison term Thursday. Ryan P. McKinley, 31, of Mansfield, was sentenced to two years in prison for two theft felonies. Starting in June 2004, McKinley checked multiple victims' still functioning water softeners, told the residents the units had malfunctioned and needed replacing.

His East Main Street home is gutted, but Doug Berry is extremely optimistic about the future. Berry said his insurance company has insisted he start working on the damaged home "right away." Mark Smith of Premier Construction has been encouraging about what can be done with the home built in 1878.

NORWALK The following people were recently convicted of crimes in Norwalk Municipal Court, Judge John Ridge presiding: Russell T. Malicki, 27, 1322A Townline Road 12, Greenwich; no dog license; conviction date: April 30; fine, &#036;25; costs, &#036;70; defendant shall pay fine and cost within 30 days.

To say Jim Conway has some big shoes to fill would be a huge understatement. Much has been said the last week about retiring Huron County Common Pleas Judge Earl McGimpsey, who is hanging up his robe after 12 years on the bench.

No matter if one counts himself a supporter of the death penalty or not, most agree it should be done in the most effective way possible, ending life quickly and painlessly. Most states have decided the best method is the three drug formula used in lethal injections, first developed in the late '70s. The first drug is an anesthetic; the second paralyzes all muscles, including the ones needed to breathe; and the third causes cardiac arrest.

Quadax looking to consolidate Quadax Inc., a provider of electronic billing services to the health care field, is pursuing a plan to consolidate from multiple suburban locations to a single site by buying and expanding the Advanstar Communications building in Middleburg Heights.