Now that the weather is finally warming up and drying out, many people will be packing their baskets and going out on picnics. The following are the top 5 must-visit picnic places, as voted on by Register Citizen readers.

View Top 5 Picnic Places in a larger map
#5 - Burr Pond State Par, Torrington
Burr Pond features several picnic tables around the beach area, as well as an open-air picnic pavilion that can hold 80 people and can be rented for $220 per day. Grills are available.

#4 - Dennis Hill State Park, Norfolk
Dennis Hills features several picnic areas, and is shady with "breathtaking views" according to one reader.

#3 - People's State Forest, Barkhamsted
People's Forest features a picnic shelter that can hold 100 people and can be rented for $220 per day, as well as standalone picnic tables.

#2 - Kent Falls State Park, Cornwall Bridge
Kent Falls features several picnic tables and grills for public use, in view of the waterfalls.


#1 - Topsmead State Forest, Litchfield
Topsmead features several informal picnic areas; no grills or fires are allowed.

The following are the top 5 spring sports games so far this year, as chosen by the Register Citizen sports department and reader votes.

#5 - April 27 - THS baseball improves to 10-0 with tight 5-4 win over Wilby at Municipal Stadium
Every win this season is sweet for Torrington High School baseball fans. Collectively, they add up to a 10-0 Raider record. Individually, each gets more exciting than the one before.
Click here to read more on this game.

#4 - April 29 - Northwestern girls track beats Nonnewaug to end Chiefs' 15-year undefeated streak
The streak is over.
After 15-plus years and 163 straight meets, the Nonnewaug girls outdoor track team lost. Northwestern took the close matchup 79-71 during a highly competitive meet at Northwestern High School Friday afternoon.
Click here to read more on this game.

#3 - April 25 -- Torrington's Sydney Matzko tosses 2nd no-hitter of the season, striking out 15 Derby hitters in 9-0 win
Freshman Sydney Matzko threw her second no-hitter of the year as the Torrington Red Raiders toppled the Derby Red Raiders 9-0.
Matzko struck out 15 Derby hitters, and came just one batter short of a perfect game (she walked a hitter in the fifth).
Click here to read more on the game.

#2 - May 9 -- Litchfield baseball beats Lewis Mills 15-14 in 8 innings after being down 10-0 after the top of the 1st
It’s been a season-long battle for Berkshire League supremacy, but the Cowboys and Spartans took it to the next level on Monday.
Litchfield (9-5) was down 10-0 after the top of the first inning. By game’s end — a contest that took eight frames to complete — the Cowboys had won 15-14.
Click here to read more on the game.

#1 - April 21 -- THS baseball beats Sacred Heart 4-3 in 11 innings, win No. 300 for Gerry Carbone.
Years from now, Torrington High School baseball coach Gerry Carbone will remember every moment of his 300th career coaching win.
Heck, most fans at Fuessenich Park Thursday morning and all the players will remember right along with him.
Click here to read more on the game.

MARIANNE KILLACKY/Register Citizen Correspondent Torrington’s Eric Rinaldi’s connects on his game-winning single in the bottom of the 11th inning of Thursday’s 4-3 win over Sacred Heart at Fuessenich Park in Torrington. The win is No. 300 for head coach Gerry Carbone.

Now that the weather is finally warm, and there’s no snow on the ground, it’s time to break out the sneakers and backpacks and head out on the hiking trails.
The following are the top 5 hiking spots you can’t miss this summer, as voted by Register Citizen readers.

View Top 5 Hiking Spots in Litchfield County in a larger map

#5 - Kent Falls State Park, Cornwall Bridge
According to BerkshireHiking.org, Kent Falls has a short, but steep hiking trail up the falls. The trail is about 1/4 mile, and goes to an elevation of up to 200 feet. View a map of the park here.
Entrance to the park is free on weekdays and weekends from November 1 through Memorial Day. There is a parking fee of $9 for Connecticut vehicles and $15 for non-Connecticut vehicles on weekends from Memorial Day through October 31.

Image courtesy of Google Maps.

#4 - Burr Pond State Park, Torrington
According to a map on the Connecticut Department Environmental Protection's website, Burr Pond State Park features four trails that circle the pond, with several scenic viewpoints and picnic spots.
There are weekday parking fees of $6 for Connecticut vehicles and $10 for non-Connecticut vehicles. There are weekend parking fees of $9 for Connecticut vehicles and $15 for non-Connecticut vehicles.

Image courtesy of Google Maps.

#3 - Mohawk State Forest, Cornwall/Goshen
According to BerkshireHiking.org, Mohawk State Forest features 30 miles of trails. The trails are split into three main trail sets, and there are picnic areas, scenic vistas, and fire pits, all of which can be found on the DEP's map of the park.
There are no parking fees for Mohawk State Forest. The park is open daily from April to November.

Image courtesy of Google Maps.

#2 - Haystack Mountain, Norfolk
According to the DEP map, Haystack Mountain features three main trails and a large stone tower, which provides a 360-degree view of the mountain.
There is no parking fee for Haystack Mountain.

Image courtesy of Google Maps.

#1 - White Memorial, Litchfield
According to whitememorialcc.org, White Memorial features over 35 miles of trails, and many areas of wildlife conservation.
There are no parking fees for White Memorial.

Image courtesy of Google Maps.

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Now that Osama Bin Laden has been killed, who is replacing him as the FBI's most wanted terrorist?
All information sourced from the FBI's Most Wanted Terrorists List.

Photo courtesy of the
FBI's most Wanted List

#5 - JAMEL AHMED MOHAMMED ALI AL-BADAWI
Wanted for: Jamel Ahmed Mohammed Ali Al-Badawi is wanted for murder and conspiracy to commit murder of Americans and US military, along with several other charges, in relation to the bombing of the USS Cole off the coast of Yemen in October 2000, which killed 17 US sailors. He escaped arrest in 2003, was recaptured in Yemen in  2004, and escaped again in 2006.

Age: 49-51
Height: 5'5"
Also known as: Jamal Muhsin Al-Tali, Abu Abdul Rahman Al-Badawi, Abu Abdul Rahman Al-Adani, Jamal Mohammad Ahmad Ali Al-Badawi, Jamal Mohammad Ahma
Reward: Up to $5 million for information leading to his arrest or conviction in any country

Photo courtesy of the
FBI's most Wanted List

#4 - FAHD MOHAMMED AHMED AL-QUSO 
Wanted for: Fahd Mohammed Ahmed Al-Quso is wanted for murder and conspiracy to commit murder of Americans and US military, along with several other charges, in relation to the bombing of the USS Cole off the coast of Yemen in October 2000, which killed 17 US sailors. He was indicted in the Southern District of New York, and is believed to be residing in Yemen.
Age: 36
Height: 5'6"
Also known as: Fahd Al-Quso, Abu Huthaifah, Abu Huthaifah Al-Yemeni, Abu Al-Bara', Abu Hathayfah Al-Adani, Abu Huthaifah Al-Adani, Fahd Mohammed Ahmed Al-Awlaqi, Huthaifah Al-Yemeni, Abu Huthaifah Al-Abu Al-Bara'
Reward:  Up to $5 million for information leading to his arrest or conviction in any country

Photo courtesy of the
FBI's most Wanted List

#3 - AYMAN AL-ZAWAHIRI
Wanted for: Murder and conspiracy to commit murder of US nationals outside the US and launching a fatal attack on a US federal building in connection with the 1998 bombings of the US embassies in in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Nairobi, Kenya. 
Age: 60 
Height: unknown 
Also known as: Abu Muhammad, Abu Fatima, Muhammad Ibrahim, Abu Abdallah, Abu al-Mu'iz, The Doctor, The Teacher, Nur, Ustaz, Abu Mohammed, Abu Mohammed Nur al-Deen, Abdel Muaz, Dr. Ayman al Zawahiri
Reward:  Up to $25 million for information leading to his arrest or conviction

Photo courtesy of the
FBI's most Wanted List

#2 - DANIEL ANDREAS SAN DIEGO 
Wanted for: Daniel Andreas San Diego is wanted in connection with two bombings in California in 2003. The first was in August 2003 at the Chiron Corporation in Emeryvill, and the second was the next month at the Shaklee Corporation in Pleasanton. He was indicted in California in 2004.
Age: 33

Height: 6'0"

Also known as: Andreas San Diego, D. Andreas San Diego, "Andreas"
Reward:  Up to $250,000 for information leading to his arrest

Photo courtesy of the
FBI's most Wanted List

#1 - ADAM YAHIYE GADAHN
Wanted for: Adam Yahiye Gadahn is wanted for treason and supplying Al Qaeda with material support. He was allegedly involved in many terrorist activities through that organization.
Age: 32

Height: 5'11"

Also known as: Abu Suhayb Al-Amriki, Abu Suhail Al-Amriki, Abu Suhayb, Yihya Majadin Adams, Adam Pearlman, Yayah, Azzam the American, Azzam Al-Amriki
Reward:  Up to $1 million for information leading to his arrest
 

Now that warmer weather is here, anglers across Litchfield County are breaking out their poles and hitting up their favorite ponds, streams, lakes and rivers. These are the top 5 fishing spots, as voted on by Register Citizen Readers.

View Top 5 Fishing Spots in a larger map
#5  - West Hill Pond, New Hartford

According to reviews on fishingworks.com, West Hill Pond is a great place for catching trout.

Screenshot of West Hill Pond taken from Google Maps

#4 - West Side Pond, Goshen

According to anglerweb.com, West Side Pond is a relatively undeveloped pond that is good for bass fishing.

Screenshot of West Side Pond taken from Google Maps

#3 - Twin Lakes, Salisbury

According to Wikipedia, the Twin Lakes are good for anglers looking to catch largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, chain pickerel, black crappie, yellow perch, brown bullhead, sunfish, brown trout, and rainbow trout.

Screenshot of Twin Lakes taken from Google Maps

#2 - Mohawk State Forest, Cornwall

According to the state DEP website, Mohawk State Forest is open from 8 a.m. to sunset, and offers pond and stream fishing.

Screenshot of Mohawk State Forest taken from Google Maps

#1 - Farmington River, Barkhamsted

The Barkhamsted town website states “The Still River and the Farmington River join together in Riverton, creating 4 miles of some of the best trout fishing in the country.  Between Riverton and Pleasant Valley, there is a catch-and-release fishing area on the Farmington, which allows for year-round fishing for various species of trout.”

Screenshot of the Farmington River taken from Google Maps

This winter has been a bad one for the city's roads. Snow and ice melting and refreezing added to the many potholes and frost heaves prevalent on most streets. According to a total of 533 votes in a RegisterCitizen.com survey, a Facebook question, e-mails, and SeeClickFix reports, these are the five worst, among the 83 streets mentioned.

View Top 5 Worst Roads in a larger map

Farley Place between CVS and McDonald's

#5 - Farley Place - 30 votes
 This small street serves as a throughway for shoppers accessing CVS, Kmart, Price Rite, and other establishments in the area, resulting in a lot of traffic on a small street. The road has many cracks and potholes that have been filled in the past, but have re-opened, and new ones have formed.

"This road is worse than most dirt roads I've driven on and has been this way for over 5 years. A productive retail area and the road is like driving down a plowed field," said Scott on SeeClickFix.

Highland Avenue

#4 - Highland Avenue - 38 votes
Highland Avenue is roughly 3 miles long and connects Riverside Avenue and Weed Road, running parallel to Route 4.

 "It appears that the road is creasing in this area and has caused a great separation in height on each side of the crack. When driving down Highland your car gets drag left to right as a result of this crack. Also the height difference can cause a major problem for smaller cars (ie. I drive a civic) as front bumpers can start to be damaged along with under carriage parts," said Chris on SeeClickFix.

"There are numerous potholes on the upper portion of Highland Avenue. Last year the town paved a portion of Highland Ave (closer to the Litchfield line) and forgot about the rest of the road," said an anonymous poster on SeeClickFix.

Riverside Avenue

#3 - Riverside Avenue - 49 votes
Riverside Avenue is just over a mile long, and runs from Route 4 to Highland Avenue and Church Street.

"Riverside Ave, from Highland to just past Holley Place has numerous large potholes, and the road surface is crumbling daily," said Tom on SeeClickFix.

"All previous patch/repair work done to this stretch of road has crumbled...sunk...and/or washed away. The road is one pot/sink hole after another and needs immediate attention before travel along this roadway becomes impossible," sadi Anne on SeeClickFix.

"(There are) dangerous potholes on riverside...deep enough to cause tire damage or a car accident from trying to avoid potholes," said an anonymous poster on SeeClickFix.

Mountain Road

#2 - Mountain road - 50 votes
Mountain Road runs about 4.3 miles north from Route 4.

"Road is damaged this year more then ever ! Hope the town plans on repairing it this spring! Mountain Rd is very dangerous right now with large pot holes ! BE CAREFUL PLEASE!" said an anonymous poster on SeeClickFix.

"I have lived on Mountain Rd for over 20 years and the amount of taxes we pay is insane for the condition of the road. Town leaders - please put our money to good use and fix this road once and for all. The drainage is poor, the paving is poor. Quit using a bandaid solution!" said "disgruntled" on SeeClickFix.

#1 - Weed Road - 53 votes
Weed Road is just under 3 miles long, running from Pumping Station Road north to Route 4.

"Road needs signs to warn people of dangerous conditions in road. It is impossible for emergency vehicle to respond to any emergency on this road," said Ed on SeeClickFix.

"Take a left off of goshen road rt 4 and go one half mile and tell me this road is SAFE??" said an anonymous SeeClickFix poster.

"I don't live anywhere near here, but cut through on my way to litchfield on my motorcycle the other day, and yeah, this road is definitely no longer safe. Some holes were large enough that they could easily do damage to a motorcycle rim at normal speed, it would trash a car in no time if you had to drive it daily," said another anonymous poster.

Watch video of a drive on Weed Road here: