Overall, a very good year for Kent

KENT — While there were some changes, frustrations and disappointments in Kent in 2012, overall it was a very good year for Kent residents and area people who shop, eat and have fun there.Author Frank Delaney, who was born in Ireland but now lives in Kent, has participated in the life of his adopted Connecticut town by appearing at several fundraising venues. In February, he read from and signed copies of his latest book, “The Last Storyteller,” at the Kent Memorial Library.In June, approximately 500 people filled the Kent Center School auditorium as Delaney interviewed actress and Salisbury resident Meryl Streep, as part of the library’s 2012 Great Performances series. Retired opera great Marilyn Horne was another highlight of the Great Performances series. Several hundred people gathered at the Kent Community House to hear her interviewed by publisher Stephen Rubin. Kent’s Cub Scout Pack No. 11 thrilled area race fans with its annual Pinewood Derby soapbox race in March at the First Congregational Church. The gravity-operated miniatures were silent except for the sound of their wheels, the loud cheers of the Scouts and their family and friends who filled the room.The last Friday in April is the official Arbor Day each year, and it’s a special day for Kent residents. At Kent Center School’s (KCS) Arbor Day celebration, art teacher Al Coffill explained why. “Kent has a special connection to Arbor Day,” he said. “Birdsey Grant Northrop, the person who brought Arbor Day to American schools, was born in Kent.” KCS students, faculty and staff gathered outside and planted a new river birch tree on the campus.The town benefited from the presence of several independent schools in several ways. Particularly of note: A donation from South Kent School of 20 new iPads to Kent Center School.Many people have trouble using the flat-touch screen keyboards in iPad devices. To make using the new iPads easier for students to use, KCS teachers Michelle Mott and Debbie Morin applied for a grant and received $1,200 that enabled the school to purchase Bluetooth wireless keyboards so students can now use the iPads with traditional computer keyboards.Kent was touched directly by the 2012 presidential election campaign. Vice President Joseph Biden visited Kent on Oct. 13 for a private political fundraiser at the home of Tony and Sally Zunino. A vice presidential motorcade of more than a dozen vehicles, including an ambulance, paraded south on Route 7, with flags flying. It was a different sort of vehicular spectacle for the road, which normally hosts streams of motorcycles.The past year saw many changes in the restaurant landscape. The Millstone Café and Bakery became favorites of locals and visitors alike on Main Street. They closed down suddenly at the end of summer. A new pub-style restaurant will soon open in the restaurant space.Belgique Chocolatier, which had been in Kent for 12 years, closed in October. The owners felt the time had come to move on. The two buildings that housed the shop and cafe are for sale.Doc’s Trattoria closed its doors on Dec. 16 after successfully operating in Kent for a number of years. Owners Roberto and Paulette Pizzo said running a restaurant was so demanding that it was making it hard for them to have a life and raise their children.