LYME/OLD LYME — It was an interesting experience delving into our analytics for 2020 because 2020 was — for want of a better description — an interesting year.
Usually, when we undertake our review of the previous year each January, we find stories covering a wide range of topics in our Top 10. This year was different in that every single one of our Top 10 Stories (and beyond) related directly to COVID-19 data.
Rather than publishing all those articles full of depressing details of the spread of the virus in our towns, we have chosen to publish our Top 10 non-COVID-19-related stories and these, we submit, provide a balanced overview of the remaining priorities of our community after the obvious dominance of COVID-19 as our top concern in 2020.
The most read article was — and we think this is a first — a ‘Letter to the Editor.’
In July, the Senior Ministers of the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme led by Senior Minister Stephen Jungkeit (pictured right) wrote an Open Letter to the Old Lyme community setting two challenges related to the expansion of affordable housing in the town. The letter was written in response to the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent events organized locally to address the issue of systemic racism, “… that continues to plague our country.” The letter sparked a great many comments and several more that we chose not to publish. Sadly, we lost some subscribers to our newsletter after publication of the letter, but fortunately, we gained many more. Take a look at the letter now six months on and see what you think. A great deal has happened since then with regard to affordable housing in Old Lyme.
Letter to the Editor: An Open Letter to the Old Lyme Community … with Two Challenges
This tree at Saint Ann’s was one of the many casualties of Tropical Storm Isaias. - Remember Aug. 4th, 2020? That was the day that Tropical Storm Isaias tore through our towns knocking out power to almost everyone. Our story, which focused on photos sent in by readers, was our #2 most read article.
Trees Down, Power Out All Over Lyme, Old Lyme; Lyme Estimates at Least Three Days Before Power Restored
- In third place was the profoundly sad announcement of the death of the brilliant, vivacious, and remarkable creative designer Julia Balfour, who passed Nov. 30, at age 42 after a lengthy battle with cancer. She lived and worked in Lyme for many years before moving to East Haddam.
Death of Julia Balfour Announced; Obituary Now Added - Saturday, June 6, saw hundreds turn out to “Stand Up and Kneel Down” for racial justice. Our report on the unprecedented event, which includes many of the speeches given, came in at number four.
Hundreds Turn Out to Join Peaceful March, Rally for Racial Justice in Old Lyme
Ready for the rush. Old Lyme Beach Rangers stand ready and waiting for the anticipated crowd when the beach reopened at Sound View. - We all love our beaches so when the Old Lyme Board of Selectmen closed them down in an effort to contain the COVID-19 virus, people were very concerned. But when it was determined the beaches could reopen for Memorial Day, everyone wanted to read about it and that became our fifth most-read story.
Old Lyme Beaches Closed Today, But Set to Open Memorial Day Weekend
- Teddy Anastasiou (pictured right) has been running Old Lyme Pizza Palace forever, but he doesn’t just make great pizza — he also gives back to the community in innumerable ways. When he was announced as the winner for July of the Old Lyme Kindness Award, there was an outpouring of support for the choice and the story notched sixth place in our most read list.
Old Lyme Committee Names OL Pizza Palace’s Teddy Anastasiou as Latest ‘Kindness Award’ Recipient
Mary Seidner, LYSB Executive Director 
- Similarly, when State Rep Devin Carney announced his selections for ‘Local Heroes’ in his District, there was strong support for his choices in Old Lyme. Jen Datum (pictured left) and Mary Seidner (pictured right) were the honorees for their exceptional work in the early days of the pandemic. The community agreed and made the story about their selection our seventh place story.
State Rep. Carney Names Two Old Lyme Residents ‘Local Heroes;’ Datum, Seidner to Receive Official Citations
The sign at Sound View Beach informs the public that the beach is closed. - We have already mentioned how important our beaches are to this community so,’ when they were initially closed due to COVID, not everyone agreed with the decision. Old Lyme First Selectman Timothy Griswold found himself having to explain it and people wanted to read about his reasoning, causing this article to take eighth place in our ‘Most Read Stories.’
Griswold Defends Decision to Close Old Lyme Town Beaches
A view looking south down the Connecticut River with Watch Rock Preserve to the left. Photo by Edie Twining. - There is no question that the Lyme-Old Lyme community cares passionately about the environment, so when the Old Lyme Land Trust closed down Watch Rock Preserve at weekends due to the damage being caused by humans, there was strong interest in the story. Our article on the topic came in at number nine.
Watch Rock Preserve in Old Lyme Closed Weekends Through Labor Day Due to Environmental, Safety Violations
In this undated photo, the Mervin E. Roberts life saving boat is shown moored at Mystic Seaport. All photos are courtesy of the Wood Island Life Saving Station Association. - Our 10th-placed story was one of our favorites and has become even more so with the passing of Mr. Roberts, aged 98, at the end of the year. We are proud to have played a small part in this wonderful story since we were the initial point of contact for the Wood Island Life Saving Station Association (WILSSA) of Kittery, Maine. The WILSSA President Sam Reid reached out to us after reading our story by Michele Dickey about Mr. Roberts published in May. Mr. Roberts gave what he said would be his final homily after 50 years service as Old Lyme Fire Department Chaplain at Old Lyme’s Memorial Day ceremony since he needed to pass the torch to someone younger. Mr. Roberts’s words turned out to be true for a different reason.
Reid had found a boat named the ‘Mervin F. Roberts’ for sale on the internet, which the WILSSA wished to acquire, and wondered if our Mervin F. Roberts of Old Lyme was the same Mervin F. Roberts after whom the boat was named. We connected Reid with First Selectman Griswold and the story really takes off from there.
Griswold Launches Effort to Raise Funds to Purchase Unique ‘Mervin F. Roberts’ Rescue Boat for Maritime Museum in Maine
