LymeLine’s Top Ten Most Read Stories of 2025

LYME/OLD LYME, CT – This was the year of Halls Road.

From a failed plan that would have reimagined the area as a livable town center to the $11.55 million sale of its largest plaza, six of LymeLine’s ten most popular stories involve controversies and triumphs on the commercial strip in the shadow of Interstate 95. 

Interspersed in the Top Ten are stories of artistic expansion on Lyme Street and one announcement that hit especially close to home: the donation of this website to the nonprofit LymeLine Inc. 

As we reflect on the year gone by, we hope it inspires renewed visions of thoughtful growth and collaboration that never lose sight of Lyme and Old Lyme’s true community foundation. 

10. Overlay Proposal Comes to a Crossroads

Interest was high in this news report about the protracted public hearing on a proposal to allow apartments above, or behind, ground-floor businesses on Halls Road. The Zoning Commission’s hearing on the Halls Road Overlay District (HROD) in April ultimately drew more than 550 people – most of them in opposition – and the plan was rejected in a 4-to-1 vote. 

9. Halls Road Committee Weighs In 

A February opinion piece by the Halls Road Improvements Committee (HRIC) was submitted in response to growing opposition evident in “Overlay? No Way!” signs across town and in comments on social media. The statement pushed back against what the committee called misinformation about the HROD.

8. End of an Era, Launch of a New One 

With this post, Olwen Logan signed off as LymeLine’s publisher/editor after more than 21 years. Reader reaction in the comment section was overwhelmingly appreciative of her dedicated, fact-based and timely delivery of the news. One reader put it this way: “Your deep roots in our community have always shown through in your coverage—no sensationalism, no cheap stunts, no ‘rage for clicks,’ just real news about the place we live.” 

7. A Short History of the Halls Road Overlay District

Columnist Thomas D. Gotowka added to LymeLine’s coverage of the Halls Road saga – which included news reports, op-eds and letters to the editor – by devoting his February column to the issue. His spirited defense sparked equally spirited reader comments. 

6. The Recipe for Success? Pizza

Readers ate up this story about a 33-year-old restaurateur from Ecuador who brought a love of family and pizza to the Halls Road mainstay known as The Hideaway. José Plasencia put his own spin on the place by adding “Wood-Fired Pizza” to the restaurant name, which now appears on menus featuring the savory pies along with many of the traditional Hideaway options. 

5. Flo-Gris Unveils $17.8 Million Expansion Plan

We turn the corner from Halls Road to Lyme Street for this October story about a planned $17.8 million expansion at the Florence Griswold Museum that will frame the surrounding landscape like a piece of art. Museum officials were hopeful shovels could be in the ground this spring for the first phase of the project. 

4. HRIC Chair Edie Twining Resigns

The same week that the Zoning Commission denied the HROD proposal, HRIC Chairwoman Edie Twining resigned in a letter to First Selectwoman Martha Shoemaker. Twining detailed seven years of volunteer work undermined by a lack of cooperation from other boards and commissions, as well as critics unwilling to engage constructively in the process. 

3. Lyme Academy Grows Sculpture Program with Neighboring Studio
Olwen Logan reported in July that Lyme Academy of Fine Arts was expanding its sculpture program with the purchase of the adjacent Studio 80 + Sculpture Grounds property, formerly owned by sculptor Gil Boro. A $1.8 million donation — the largest in the school’s history — made the acquisition possible.

2. First Selectwoman Martha Shoemaker Elected to Second Term 

The popularity of this Election Night news brief on unconfirmed Old Lyme election results underscores the community’s immediate interest in the rematch between incumbent Democratic First Selectwoman Martha Shoemaker and her Republican challenger, John Mesham. 

1. Developers Acquire Old Lyme Marketplace 

LymeLine readers love following local real estate transactions — especially a $11.55 million Halls Road sale. No wonder it’s this year’s most-read story. Only time will tell – with the help of our continued reporting – what’s in store for the Old Lyme Marketplace and the commercial corridor that promises to keep locals talking.