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Unexpected Death of David Winer Announced; Former Board Member, President of Old Lyme’s PGN Library

December 5, 2021 by Admin Leave a Comment

David “Dave” Winer of Haddam, Connecticut, former Dean of Students at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, passed away unexpectedly from complications of cholangiocarcinoma on November 26, 2021. He was 84 …

Dave leaves behind his wife of 40 years and the love of his life, Judith Watson Winer …

Dave is also survived by his four stepchildren and their spouses: [including] Lauralyn Lewis of Old Lyme, CT …

Dave devoted his professional life to Trinity College and its students. In his long and distinguished career there from 1966 until his retirement in 2004, Dave served in several roles …

He served on the Board of Trustees for the Old Lyme, Connecticut Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library for 12 years and was President of the Board for five years …

Visit this link to view the full obituary published Dec. 5, 2021, by the Hartford Courant.

Filed Under: Obituaries, Top Story

Christ The King in Old Lyme Presents ‘Light Has Come’ Today; Features Music, Message for Season of Hope; All Welcome

December 5, 2021 by Admin Leave a Comment

Sarah Kroger

OLD LYME — On Sunday, Dec. 5, Catholic recording artist Sarah Kroger will present a special Advent program of music and inspiration titled, Light Has Come, at Christ the King Church in Old Lyme.

The program, which starts at 4 p.m., will also feature noted speaker and author Dom Quaglia, Jr.

The Nashville-based Kroger, a contemporary worship leader in the Catholic church, has appeared at Catholic churches, retreats, and conferences in the US and beyond, including Steubenville Youth Conferences, the World Youth Day in Brazil, and here in Connecticut at St. Patrick Cathedral in Norwich. She has produced four albums of worship music.

Quaglia speaks at parish missions, retreats, conferences, and private events around the US and abroad. His speaking and writing is aimed at helping people of all ages lean further into the Gospel and apply it to their lives. He and Kroger are married.

Dom Quaglia, Jr.

Light Has Come will be a contemplative afternoon of music led by Kroger, followed by an inspirational message by Quaglia, and then a period of reflection and Eucharistic Adoration accompanied by worship music.

All are welcome to attend this special event, regardless of religious affiliation.

The objective of Light Has Come is to help local people open their hearts in preparation for the coming Christmas season. Admission is free, but a free-will offering will be gratefully accepted to help defray expenses.

Christ the King Church is located at 1 McCurdy Rd. in Old Lyme (Exit 70 off I-95). (Note: face masks are required in church buildings for unvaccinated persons.)

Directions and more information about Light Has Come may be found on the church website or the church’s Facebook page.

Filed Under: Community, Headline News, Old Lyme

RTP Estuary Center Hosts Virtual Presentation on ‘The State of the Estuary’ by CT Audubon Director, Tuesday; All Welcome

December 5, 2021 by Admin Leave a Comment

CT Audubon Executive Director Patrick Comins will give a virtual, interactive presentation on ‘The State of the Estuary,’ Dec. 9. All are welcome.

OLD LYME/VIRTUAL — Join the Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center on Tuesday, Dec. 7, at 6 p.m. when it presents a virtual, interactive program titled, “The State of the Estuary,” with Patrick Comins, Executive Director of Connecticut Audubon.

Topics will include the state of birds and wildlife in the estuary, conditions in the Connecticut River watershed, advocacy efforts at the state and national level, and what all of us can do to help promote healthy habitats in our own backyards.

The program is free but registration is required. Participants will be able to submit questions via Zoom chat.

A lifelong, dedicated conservationist, Comins was Director of Bird Conservation for Connecticut prior to becoming CT Audubon’s Executive Director in 2017. A past president of the Connecticut Ornithological Association and recipient of their Mabel Osgood Wright Award in 2001, he has written articles on bird conservation for the Connecticut Warbler and is past chair of the Friends of the Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge.

Comins began his career with the CAS doing bird surveys on the coast at the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge and then worked for the US Fish and Wildlife Service as a biological technician at the refuge. He is the principal author of Protecting Connecticut’s Grassland Heritage.

His talk will highlight environmental improvements we can celebrate along with ongoing concerns.

Visit www.ctaudubon.org/rtp-programs-events for more information and registration details.

Named for the internationally and locally renowned artist, scientific illustrator, environmental educator, and conservation advocate, the Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center is known for its work in environmental education, conservation, research, and advocacy to preserve and protect the Estuary and its beauty for generations.

The Center serves young people and adults across the region, offering such programs as birding basics and owl prowls, a CT River ecology course, Estuary Explorations and seasonal nature crafts, as well as summer and vacation camp programs.

Visit this link for further information: www.ctaudubon.org/rtp-estuary-home/.

Filed Under: Community, Lyme, Old Lyme, Outdoors, Top Story

Duck River Garden Club Invites Community to Holiday Wreath-Making Event, Wednesday; Wreaths Will be Displayed Around Town

December 4, 2021 by Admin Leave a Comment

OLD LYME — The Duck River Garden Club (DRGC) of Old Lyme is planning to create around 50 wreaths this year to display around the community.

Anne Brandenburg, who is a DRGC member, told LymeLine by email, “That is a lofty number, and hard to trim down when you know town folks appreciate the work and see the charm adding a wreath here and there does for our quaint town.”

She goes on to explain, “That said, we could use some help.”

The Club is therefore opening up this year’s Wreath-Making Night to the public.

All are welcome to join DRGC members at the Roger’s Lake Community Building just off Town Woods Road Wednesday, Dec. 8, at 6 p.m. It is suggested that attendees dress warmly and bring:

(roughly) a trash bag full of gathered greens (if possible)
gloves and clippers
your Old Lyme Holiday Cheer!

Joining this fun evening will enable you to spend time with community members and learn a little about the work of the DRGC both within and outside our community.

Filed Under: Community, Old Lyme, Top Story

Saint Ann’s Presents ‘The New Consort’ in ‘A Close Harmony Christmas’ Concert, Friday

December 4, 2021 by Admin Leave a Comment

‘The New Consort’ will present a holiday concert Friday, Dec. 10, at Saint Ann’s Church in Old Lyme.

OLD LYME — Live@SaintAnn’s concert series presents the return of The New Consort for its first-ever holiday concert in Connecticut. The concert will be held Friday, Dec. 10, at 7:30 p.m. at Saint Ann’s Episcopal Church.

Join this world-class vocal ensemble, founded by Lyme native Brian Mummert, to ring in the season with A Close Harmony Christmas. The program, featuring traditional holiday music and new Christmas numbers from the classical, pop, and jazz worlds, will please music lovers of all ages.

Music will include works by Thomas Tallis, John Rutter, *NSYNC’s vocal arranger Robin Wiley, and many more.

“It’s been a tough couple years for singers, but we’re so excited to be returning to Saint Ann’s with a program that celebrates so many of the things we love about making music, and about this magical time of year,” says Brian Mummert, The New Consort’s artistic director.

He adds, “Communal singing is an integral part of what makes us human – in fact, it evolved as one of our species’ primary ways of building community – so I can’t imagine a better way to bring the community of Connecticut’s music lovers back together as we find our way forward than with a truly special holiday concert.”

Winners of the American Prize in Chamber Music, The New Consort, a project-based, solo-voice ensemble directed by baritone Mummert, was founded in 2015 and has quickly made embracing contrasts one of its hallmarks. Musical juxtaposition is an integral part of the ensemble’s identity: by drawing diverse works into conversation, The New Consort attracts new audiences to classical music and encourages them to forge connections with unfamiliar genres of musical expression, and with the people working in those genres.

The ensemble has appeared in venues including Trinity College, Cambridge; Tippet Rise Art Center; The Walters Art Museum’s First Fridays series; The Bach Store, an NYC pop-up concert hall; Gotham Early Music Scene’s Midtown Concerts Series; High Hopes’ Music Under the Stars (CT); Spectrum NYC; and at concert halls, churches, and schools throughout the Northeast.

Members of The New Consort have appeared as soloists and conductors with some of the world’s best-respected ensembles from Carnegie Hall to Kuala Lumpur, but relish the opportunity that the ensemble presents to collaborate as chamber musicians. www.thenewconsort.org

Tickets can be purchased through The New Consort at bit.ly/new-consort-xmas. General admission $25; premium seating $45. Walk-ins are welcome.

Live@SaintAnn’s is a concert series of Saint Ann’s dedicated to bringing music of all kinds to our community and welcoming our community to our campus. Saint Ann’s is an Episcopal parish in Old Lyme, CT, where Provisional Priest-in-Charge the Reverend Dr. Anita Louise Schell welcomes all visitors to this family-friendly event.

Saint Ann’s is located at 82 Shore Road (Rt. 156), two miles off I-95, Exit 70. Ample parking is adjacent to the church and the building is ADA compliant. For more information, visit Saint Ann’s online at www.saintannsoldlyme.org.

Filed Under: Community, Old Lyme, Top Story

Saint Ann’s Church Presents a Holiday Choral Concert, ‘Concinnity by Candlelight,’ Tonight; All Welcome

December 4, 2021 by Admin 2 Comments

OLD LYME — Live@SaintAnn’s, a concert series of Saint Ann’s Episcopal Church, Old Lyme, presents Connecticut’s versatile and innovative vocal chamber ensemble, Voices of Concinnity, in a special holiday concert, “Concinnity by Candlelight,” on Saturday, Dec. 4, at 7 p.m.

This live, in-person concert will include an audience carol sing, as well as a variety of compositions celebrating the Christmas season.

“Concinnity by Candlelight” is a luminous program sung by Voices of Concinnity featuring a collection of contemplative holiday choral favorites.

The concert will include Christmas and holiday songs such as “Love came down at Christmas” by Eleanor Daley, “In the bleak midwinter” by Gustav Holst, “Halcyon Days” by Melissa Dunphy, “In Bethlehem Above” by Yshanni Perinpanayagam, “The Waiting Sky” by Oliver Tarney, “Hymn to the Virgin” by Benjamin Britten, “Gabriel’s Message” arr. by Jim Clements, and more.

The concert concludes with an audience carol sing with Voices of Concinnity with songs chosen beforehand by our audience.

Dedicated to cultivating the art of chamber ensemble singing in Connecticut, Voices of Concinnity is a 12-voice ensemble of seasoned choral artists from diverse backgrounds.

Concinnity’s mission is to connect with the community through living choral music that fosters inclusion with innovative and collaborative programming, explores representation in choral music, and ensures affordable access to quality performances and programs for all.

Their has been sound described as “silky smooth butter in musical form.” Voices of Concinnity works to maximize overtones and unity of sound to create a harmonious, artful landscape of voices through the performance of choral music from the Renaissance to the contemporary.

Voices of Concinnity is sponsored by Consonare Choral Community, a non-profit organization based in Storrs-Mansfield that helps build community through choral music in Connecticut through affordable and accessible programs.

No reservations are necessary — a $20 donation is suggested.

The community can help choose the holiday songs to be sung by the audience carol sing by filling out a brief survey here: https://www.consonare-sing.org/concinnityconcerts.

Editor’s Notes: Live@SaintAnn’s is a concert series of Saint Ann’s dedicated to bringing music of all kinds to our community and welcoming our community to our campus.

Saint Ann’s is an Episcopal parish in Old Lyme, CT, where Provisional Priest-in-Charge the Reverend Dr. Anita Louise Schell welcomes all visitors to this family-friendly event.

Saint Ann’s is located at 82 Shore Rd. (Rte. 156), two miles off I-95, Exit 70. Ample parking is adjacent to the church and the building is ADA compliant.

For more information, visit Saint Ann’s online at www.saintannsoldlyme.org.

Filed Under: Old Lyme

Join an ‘Approaching Winter’ Astronomy Observing Session Today in Lyme

December 4, 2021 by Admin Leave a Comment

Photo of lunar eclipse by Alan Sheiness.

LYME — On Saturday, Dec. 4, from 6 to 7 p.m., join an evening of observing the approaching winter night sky at the Lyme ‘dark sky’ site.

Park in the designated area by 5:30 p.m. and walk to the observing field with its amazing panoramic views of the heavens.

Dress for temperatures 10-20 degrees lower than forecast for your comfort. It is requested that there are no white lights at the field site.

Reservations to join the session are required by email to scott.mallory@gmail.com Directions to the site and special guidance for those with heavy astronomy equipment will be provided upon registration.

Visit this link for more information about the astronomy program

Filed Under: Lyme

Join a Holiday Wreath-Making Workshop Today at Lyme Public Hall; Free, Pre-Registration Required

December 4, 2021 by Admin Leave a Comment

LYME — The Lyme Public Hall & Local History Archives and the Lyme Garden Club present a Holiday Wreath Making Workshop on Saturday, Dec. 4, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Lyme Public Hall, 249 Hamburg Rd. (Rte. 156), Lyme.

Materials and greens will be provided. Bring your own trimmings to customize your creation.

Pre-registration is required, but there is no charge to attend.

To pre-register, text or call Bill Denow at 860-574-4143.

For more information, visit lymepublichall.org

Filed Under: Lyme

Lyme Academy of Fine Arts Invites Community to Inaugural ‘Holiday Enchantment & Tree-Lighting’ Today

December 4, 2021 by Admin Leave a Comment

This painting by Dana Ross sets the theme for the ‘Holiday Enchantment’ event being held at Lyme Academy of Fine Arts on Dec. 4. Many local organizations are participating and the whole community is invited to come and welcome the holiday season.

OLD LYME — Lyme Academy of Fine Arts welcomes the community to make magical memories at the inaugural Holiday Enchantment and Tree Lighting, which is being held Saturday, Dec. 4.

Adults and children are invited to gather on the campus of the Lyme Academy of Fine Arts on Lyme Street from 1 to 5 p.m. for an afternoon of festive outdoor activities including art demonstrations, live musical performances, food and drinks by the fire, ornament and luminary making led by Lyme Academy artists, cookie decorating, and more.

In the holiday spirit of this community event, several area organizations will be contributing to the activities offered.

Florence Griswold Museum will distribute artistic take-and-make kits
Duck River Garden Club will run a Tussie Mussies station
Pollinator Pathways will have medallions for sale
PARJE (Public Art for Racial Justice Education) will give away mini-mural and coloring pages
Ballet dancers from Eastern Connecticut Ballet will be on-site offering individual or group Nutcracker photo-opportunities with attendees.

Other organizations participating in the event include:

Old Lyme Historical Society, Inc.
Barn for Artistic Youth
Lyme-Old Lyme Food Share Garden
Lyme-Old Lyme Lions’ Club
Old Lyme Fire Department
Lyme/Old Lyme EMS
Old Lyme Land Trust
Old Lyme-Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library
Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center, and more.

All artistic activities will take place from 1 to 4 p.m.

A S’mores Galore station with coffee and hot cocoas will be available for all to enjoy.

Attendees will have an opportunity to purchase food and drinks to warm up and enjoy at one of the many fire-pits on site. A bar area for adults will have mulled wine, beer, wine and craft cocktails available for purchase.

Ramblin’ Dan Stevens

Ramblin’ Dan Stevens will begin the event with live music from 1 to 2:30 p.m. followed by a holiday performance by the Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School Band from 2:30 to 3 p.m.

At 4:30 p.m., the event will move to the tree-lighting as the Old Lyme Town Band leads the crowd in singing popular Christmas carols. Old Lyme First Selectman Timothy Griswold will then light the artistically-decorated Holiday Tree to close the evening.

“You’ll feel like you’ve walked into a winter wonderland”, says Lyme Academy Executive Director Mora Rowe. “We are thrilled to have so many community organizations gathering together to make special holiday memories for our local families and friends.”

She adds enthusiastically, “We look forward to this becoming an annual event for our townspeople to enjoy.”

Admission is free, donations are welcome.

Visit lymeacademy.edu for more information.

Editor’s Note: The mission of the Lyme Academy of Fine Arts is to teach the foundational skills of drawing, painting, and sculpture in the figurative tradition. By its commitment to training students in these skills and an engagement with contemporary discourse, the Academy will empower a new generation of artists. Through its programs, the Academy is committed to enriching the cultural life of the community.

Filed Under: Old Lyme

Dec. 2 COVID-19 Update: Old Lyme Stays Red for Case Rates, Lyme Gray; Eight New Cases in OL Take Cumulative Cases to 493, Also One New Case in Lyme

December 3, 2021 by Admin Leave a Comment

This map, updated Dec. 2, 2021 shows the average daily rate of new cases of COVID-19 by town during the past two weeks. Old Lyme is in the Red (highest) Zone while Lyme is one of only seven towns remaining in the Gray (lowest) Zone. Only cases among persons living in community settings are included in this map; the map does not include cases among people who reside in nursing home, assisted living, or correctional facilities.) Map: Ver 12.1.2020 Source: CT Department of Public Health Get the data Created with Datawrapper. Details in italics are the same for each of the maps included in this article.

LYME-OLD LYME — The Daily Data Report issued Thursday, Dec. 2, at 4 p.m. by the Connecticut Department of Health (CT DPH) shows eight new, confirmed COVID-19 cases in Old Lyme taking that town’s total of cumulative cases to 493.

One new case was reported in Lyme, raising its cumulative case total to 136.

The news statewide is extremely concerning. According to the weekly COVID-19 Average Daily Case Rate Report issued by the state on Dec. 2, the number of towns in the Red (highest) Zone for case rates has soared from last week’s total of 110 to 135, which is now equivalent to 80 percent of towns in the state.

As comparative pointes of reference, the week prior to Thanksgiving (Nov. 18, 2021), there were 67 towns in the Red Zone, on Oct. 7, 2021 the number was down to 37, and on July 8, 2021, there was not a single one.

Old Lyme is in the Red (highest) Zone for the second consecutive week: last week was the first time Old Lyme had been in the Red Zone since Sept. 30, 2021.

Lyme remains in the Gray (lowest) Zone and is one of only seven towns in the state in that Zone, where it has been since Sept. 30, 2021.

The Dec. 2 report shows there are 23 towns in the Orange (second highest) Zone and four towns in the Yellow (lowest but one) Zone.

Details of the Zones are as follows:

The Gray category is defined as when the Average Daily Rate of COVID-19 Cases Among Persons Living in Community Settings per 100,000 Population By Town is less than five or less than five reported cases.
The Yellow category is defined as when the Average Daily Rate of COVID-19 Cases Among Persons Living in Community Settings per 100,000 Population By Town is between five and nine reported cases.
The Orange category is defined as when the Average Daily Rate of COVID-19 Cases Among Persons Living in Community Settings per 100,000 Population By Town is between 10 and 14.
The Red category is defined as when the Average Daily Rate of COVID-19 Cases Among Persons Living in Community Settings per 100,000 Population By Town exceeds 15.

In all cases, this rate does not include cases or tests among residents of nursing home, assisted living, or correctional facilities.

We have been asked by a reader whether the cases we are reporting in Lyme and Old Lyme are in vaccinated or unvaccinated persons. We do not have that information, but we note that Eliza Fawcett quoted Gov. Ned Lamont in an article published Nov. 30 in the Hartford Courant, who said, “It’s really a pandemic of the unvaccinated.” The quote was taken from a speech Lamont gave during an appearance at the annual Connecticut Conference of Municipalities convention at Mohegan Sun on Tuesday.

Lyme-Old Lyme (LOL) Schools Superintendent Ian Neviaser informed the school community Thursday, Dec. 2, of two separate positive cases of COVID-19 impacting Lyme-Old Lyme High (LOL) School had been reported. See below for a full listing of all LOL Schools-related cases.

The CT DPH will issue an updated map of the zones Dec. 9 — the map is updated weekly on Thursdays.

All the towns in the Ledge Light Health District (LLHD) are in the Red Zone, except Lyme.

Prior to Monday, Nov. 22, when two new cases were reported, Lyme had previously gone 35 days in succession without reporting a single new case.

The cumulative total of confirmed cases for Old Lyme has now increased by 50 since Wednesday, Nov. 10, when the total stood at 443.

On Aug. 26 — which was the day Lyme-Old Lyme Schools started the new academic year — Old Lyme’s cumulative case total stood at 372, meaning there have now been 121 new cases there since that date. Meanwhile, Lyme’s cumulative total on Aug. 26 was 114 indicating 22 new cases have also been confirmed there during the same period.

In an email sent Thursday, Dec. 2, regarding the latest COVID-19 data, Ledge Light Health District (LLHD) Director of Health Steven Mansfield stated, “The number of new COVID cases within our jurisdiction continues to increase, which is consistent with an increase in COVID cases statewide, according to DPH data. Unfortunately, we expect this trend to continue as we move into the holiday season.”

He continued, “LLHD continues to focus our vaccination efforts on homebound populations and providing initial vaccinations, and boosters to individuals who were vaccinated previously.”

The state does not issue reports over the weekend nor on public holidays. The next report from CT DPH will be issued Friday, Dec. 3, at around 4 p.m.

COVID-19 Cases in Lyme-Old Lyme Schools

This is the latest information that we have with the most recent cases first — there may have been further updates, however, which we have not yet received.

On Thursday, Dec. 2, Lyme-Old Lyme Schools Superintendent Ian Neviaser informed the school community that two separate positive cases of COVID-19 impacting Lyme-Old Lyme High School (LOLHS) had been reported.

On Monday, Nov. 30, Neviaser informed the school community that a positive case of COVID-19 impacting LOLHS had been reported.

On Monday, Nov. 29, Neviaser informed the school community that a positive case of COVID-19 impacting Mile Creek School had been reported.

On Tuesday, Nov. 23, Neviaser informed the school community that a positive case of COVID-19 impacting LOLHS had been reported.

On Monday, Nov. 22, Neviaser informed the school community that a positive case of COVID-19 impacting Mile Creek School had been reported.

On Thursday, Nov. 18, Neviaser informed the school community that a positive case of COVID-19 impacting LOLHS had been reported.

On Wednesday, Nov. 17, Neviaser informed the school community that a positive case of COVID-19 impacting LOLHS had been reported.

On Sunday, Nov. 14, Neviaser informed the school community that over the weekend a positive case of COVID-19 impacting LOLHS had been reported.

On Wednesday, Oct. 20, Neviaser informed the school community that a positive case of COVID-19 impacting LOLHS had been reported.

On Wednesday, Oct. 5, Neviaser informed the school community that a positive case of COVID-19 impacting LOLHS had been reported the previous evening.

On Thursday, Oct. 23, Neviaser informed the school community of two intrafamilial positive cases of COVID-19 impacting Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School (LOLMS.) He stated, “We were able to complete our contact tracing and the one individual who must quarantine has been notified.”

On Thursday, Sept. 23, Neviaser informed the school community of two intrafamilial positive cases of COVID-19 impacting LOLMS. He noted, “We were able to complete our contact tracing and the one individual who must quarantine has been notified.”

On Wednesday, Sept. 22, Neviaser informed the school community of a positive case of COVID-19 impacting LOLHS.

On Thursday, Sept. 16, Neviaser informed the school community that a previously reported positive case of COVID-19 is now impacting Mile Creek School and Center School.

On Monday, Sept. 13, Neviaser informed the school community that a positive case of COVID-19, which had been reported the previous day, was impacting LOLMS.

On Wednesday, Sept. 1, Neviaser informed the school community that a positive case of COVID-19 was impacting Mile Creek School.

On Tuesday, Aug. 31, Neviaser informed the school community that late on Monday, Aug. 30, a positive case of COVID-19 impacting LOLHS had been reported.

On Saturday, Aug. 28, Neviaser informed the school community that late on Friday, Aug. 27, a positive case of COVID-19 impacting Lyme School had been reported.

In all cases, contact tracing was completed and those individuals who needed to quarantine were notified. They will be able to return to school following their quarantine period. All other students and staff will continue to attend school as scheduled.

Fatalities Due to COVID-19 in Lyme, Old Lyme

There has been one COVID-related fatality of a Lyme resident: a 57-year-old male passed away Nov. 16, 2021. On Nov. 30, the state finally included this fatality in its data

Three COVID-related fatalities have been reported in Old Lyme. The first two fatalities from Old Lyme, which were reported in 2020, were a 61-year-old female and an 82-year-old male.

Details of the third, which was reported in 2021, have not been made available.

COVID-19 Cases Over Time: Dec. 2020-Dec. 2021

The following maps show has the picture of COVID-19 cases has gone from an almost totally red map back in Dec. 2020 to an almost all-gray map on June 17, 2021, and today (Dec. 2, 2021) back to almost all red.

Oct. 14, 2021

This map, updated Oct. 14, 2021 shows the average daily rate of new cases of COVID-19 by town during the past two weeks. Old Lyme and Lyme are both in the Gray (lowest) Zone.

Both Lyme and Old Lyme are in the Gray (lowest) Zone, where Lyme has been since mid-September. The last time both towns were in the Gray Zone was July 22, 2021.

Sept. 23, 2021

This map, updated Sept. 23, 2021 shows the average daily rate of new cases of COVID-19 by town during the past two weeks. Both Lyme and Old Lyme have moved into the Red (highest) Zone.

Both Lyme and Old Lyme remained in the Red (highest) Zone for the average daily rate of new cases of COVID-19. This was the third week in succession that both towns were in the Red Zone.

Statewide, there were 81 towns now in the Red Zone, which is three down from the previous week’s total of 84. On Sept. 2, the total was 91 so the trend was undoubtedly downward although it was still up significantly from the 39 reported on Aug. 12.

Sept. 9, 2021

This map, updated Sept. 9, 2021 shows the average daily rate of new cases of COVID-19 by town during the past two weeks. Both Lyme and Old Lyme have moved into the Red (highest) Zone.

There were 47 towns in the Orange (second highest) Zone, 19 towns in the Yellow (second lowest) Zone. and 20 towns in the Gray (lowest) Zone.

All other towns in the state, including Lyme and Old Lyme, were in the Red (highest) Zone.

Sept. 2

This map, updated Sept. 2, 2021 shows the average daily rate of new cases of COVID-19 by town during the past two weeks. Lyme is still in the (lowest) Gray Zone, while Old Lyme has moved back down into the Yellow Zone.

The map above is from Sept. 2 when 91 towns were in the Red Zone, which is down one from 92 a week ago on Aug. 26, but still up significantly from 73 on Aug. 19, and 39 on Aug. 12.

Old Lyme had fallen to the Yellow (second lowest) Zone along with 10 other towns. This total of 11 towns is unchanged from last week, when Old Lyme was in the Orange Zone.

Lyme was in the Gray (lowest) Zone. This was the 24th straight week for Lyme in the Gray Zone. Again, this total of 20 towns in the Gray Zone was unchanged from last week.

Forty-seven towns were in the Orange (second highest) Zone.

Aug. 26, 2021

This map, updated Aug. 26, 2021 shows the average daily rate of new cases of COVID-19 by town during the past two weeks. Lyme is still in the (lowest) Gray Zone, while Old Lyme has moved back down into the Yellow Zone.

The map above is from Aug. 26, when Old Lyme was in the Orange (second highest case rate) Zone with a daily case rate per 100,000 of 10.8.

Eleven Connecticut towns were in the Yellow (second lowest) Zone down from 20the previous week. Locally, these included Deep River, Old Saybrook and Haddam.

The remaining 20 towns in the state, including Lyme, were in the Gray (lowest rate) Zone. This was the 23rd straight week for Lyme in the Gray Zone.

Aug. 19, 2021

This map, updated Aug. 19, 2021 shows the average daily rate of new cases of COVID-19 by town during the past two weeks. Lyme is still in the (lowest) Gray Zone, while Old Lyme has moved back into the Orange Zone.

The map above is from Aug. 19 when Old Lyme was back in the Orange (second highest case rate) Zone. Almost 50 towns in the state remained in the Orange Zone, which was around the same number as the previous week.

Less than 20 Connecticut towns were in the Yellow (second lowest) Zone down from 40 the previous week. Locally, these included including Deep River, Essex and East Haddam.

The remaining 20 towns in the state, including Lyme, are in the Gray (lowest rate) Zone. This was the 22nd straight week for Lyme in the Gray Zone.

Aug. 12

The map below is from Aug. 12 and shows that Old Lyme had fallen out of the Orange (second highest case rate) Zone into the Yellow (second lowest) Zone — but only by a fraction.

Almost 50 towns were in the Orange (second highest case rate) Zone — up from 33 the previous week — including Westbrook and Salem locally.

Old Lyme joined the Yellow (second lowest) Zone along with around 40 other Connecticut towns, including Old Saybrook, East Lyme, and Essex.

All remaining towns in the state, including Lyme, along with Deep River and Chester, were in the Gray (lowest rate) Zone. This was the 21st straight week for Lyme in the Gray Zone.

This map, updated Aug. 12, 2021 shows the average daily rate of new cases of COVID-19 by town during the past two weeks. Lyme is in the (lowest) Gray Zone, but Old Lyme is in the Yellow Zone.

Aug. 5

The map below is from Aug. 5 when six towns were in the Red (highest case rate) Zone (the previous week’s number was four) and 33 in the Orange (second highest case rate) Zone — the previous week’s number was four, including Old Lyme.

East Lyme* had reentered the Yellow (second lowest) Zone along with more than 50 other Connecticut towns.

All remaining towns in the state, including Lyme*, were in the Gray (lowest rate) Zone. This was the 20th straight week for Lyme in the Gray Zone.

This map, updated Aug. 5, 2021 shows the average daily rate of new cases of COVID-19 by town during the past two weeks. Lyme is still in the (lowest) Gray Zone, but Old Lyme has moved into the Orange Zone.

July 29, 2021

The map below is from July 29, when four towns were in the Red Zone –Harland, Salem, Bozrah and Sprague — and four towns were in the Orange Zone — Easton, East Hampton, Ledyard and Thompson.

Old Lyme had reentered the Yellow (second lowest) Zone along with more than 50 other Connecticut towns. All remaining towns in the state, including Lyme, were in the Gray (lowest rate) Zone. This was the 19th straight week for Lyme in the Gray Zone.

This map, updated July 29, 2021 shows the average daily rate of new cases of COVID-19 by town during the past two weeks. Lyme is in the (lowest) Gray Zone, but Old Lyme has moved into the Yellow Zone.

July 15, 2021

The map below is from July 15, when one town, Franklin, was in the Red Zone (indicating the highest rate of COVID-19 new cases) and another two, Salem and Andover, were in the (second highest rate) Orange Zone. New Hartford and Griswold were in the Yellow Zone (indicating the lowest but one rate of COVID-19 new cases.)

This map, updated July 15, 2021 shows the average daily rate of new cases of COVID-19 by town during the past two weeks. Both Lyme and Old Lyme are still in the (lowest) Gray Zone.

July 8, 2021

This map shows New Hartford as the sole town in the Yellow Zone.

This map, updated July 8, 2021 shows the average daily rate of new cases of COVID-19 by town during the past two weeks. Both Lyme and Old Lyme are still in the (lowest) Gray Zone.

June 17, 2021

This is the map, when just one town, Bolton, was in the Yellow Zone.

This map, updated June 17, shows the average daily rate of new cases of COVID-19 by town during the past two weeks. Both Lyme and Old Lyme are in the (lowest) Gray Zone.

Dec. 18, 2020

Map of Connecticut dated Dec. 17, 2020 showing both Lyme and Old Lyme now in the CT DPH-identified ‘Red Zone.’

Filed Under: COVID-19, Headline News, Lyme, Old Lyme, Top Story

It’s ‘First Friday’ in Chester Tonight with Starry Nights, Shopping and Santa!

December 3, 2021 by Admin Leave a Comment

The stars will be shining in Chester on ‘First Friday’, Dec. 3.

CHESTER — Join the Merchants of Chester in Chester Village on Friday, Dec. 3, from 5 to 8 p.m. and enjoy stars, Santa, plus shopping and dining!

Local artist Christopher Owens has re-created his Starry Nights installation throughout Chester Village and it will be illuminated at 5:45 p.m. The stars, hand-made by Chester resident Owens, will be installed throughout the downtown area to create a cheerful and festive atmosphere for residents and visitors to enjoy through the winter months.

For more information about the stars, go to the VisitChesterct.com website.

In addition, Santa will be pulling into town on his fire engine sleigh at 6:15 p.m. with help from the Chester Hose Company to visit with the local children.

There will be exhibitions and art openings, dinner specials and some great holiday gift shopping.

Chester’s Main Street will be bustling during ‘First Friday’ on Dec. 3.

*All visitors to Chester are advised to wear masks over their nose and mouth during their visits to Chester and stay socially distant from one another. Visitors that feel unwell are asked to stay home.*

In addition to on-street parking in Chester, there is free parking available in the town’s public lots on Main Street by the cemetery, at 20 Water Street and on Maple Street.

More information about First Friday is available on Facebook.com/VisitChesterCT or by emailing chestermerchants@gmail.com

Filed Under: Chester

Dec. 1 COVID-19 Update: Six New Cases in Old Lyme Take Cumulative Total to 485, Lyme Steady at 135

December 2, 2021 by Admin Leave a Comment

LYME-OLD LYME — The Daily Data Report issued Wednesday, Dec. 1, at 4 p.m. by the Connecticut Department of Health (CT DPH) shows six new, confirmed COVID-19 cases in Old Lyme taking that town’s total of cumulative cases to 485.

No new cases were reported in Lyme, leaving that town’s cumulative total at 135.

We have been asked by a reader whether the cases we are reporting in Lyme and Old Lyme are in vaccinated or unvaccinated persons. We do not have that information, but we can say that Eliza Fawcett quoted Gov. Ned Lamont in an article published Nov. 30 in the Hartford Courant saying, “It’s really a pandemic of the unvaccinated.” The quote was taken from a speech Lamont gave during an appearance at the annual Connecticut Conference of Municipalities convention at Mohegan Sun on Tuesday,

Lyme-Old Lyme (LOL) Schools Superintendent Ian Neviaser informed the school community Nov. 30 that a positive case of COVID-19 impacting Lyme-Old Lyme High (LOL) School had been reported. See below for a full listing of all LOL Schools-related cases.

As we reported on Friday, Nov. 26, Old Lyme has re-entered the Red Zone in the weekly COVID-19 Average Daily Case Rate Report issued by the state on Nov. 26. This was the first time Old Lyme had been in the Red (highest) Zone since Sept. 30, 2021. Lyme remained in the Gray (lowest) Zone, where it has been since Sept. 30, 2021. The CT DPH will issue an updated map of the zones this afternoon (Dec. 2.) — the map is updated weekly on Thursdays.

The number of towns statewide in the Red Zone has increased dramatically in the past two weeks with 67 towns in it last week and 110 this week. To give a further indication of the significance of the increase, the number of towns in the Red Zone on Oct. 7, 2021 was down to 37.

All the towns in the Ledge Light Health District (LLHD) are in the Red Zone, except Lyme.

Prior to Monday, Nov. 22, when two new cases were reported, Lyme had previously gone 35 days in succession without reporting a single new case.

The cumulative total of confirmed cases for Old Lyme has now increased by 36 since Wednesday, Nov. 10, when the total stood at 443.

On Aug. 26 — which was the day Lyme-Old Lyme Schools started the new academic year — Old Lyme’s cumulative case total stood at 372, meaning there have now been 107 new cases there since that date. Meanwhile, Lyme’s cumulative total on Aug. 26 was 114 indicating 25 new cases have also been confirmed there during the same period.

In an email sent Wednesday, Nov. 24, regarding the latest COVID-19 data, Ledge Light Health District (LLHD) Director of Health Steven Mansfield stated, “The number of new COVID cases within our jurisdiction continues to increase, which is consistent with an increase in COVID cases statewide, according to DPH data. Unfortunately, we expect this trend to continue as we move into the holiday season.”

He continued, “LLHD continues to focus our vaccination efforts on homebound populations and providing boosters to individuals who were vaccinated previously,” adding, “It is imperative that we remain diligent in our mitigation strategies. We strongly advise everyone to continue to wear masks indoors in public settings, regardless of vaccination status.”

The state does not issue reports over the weekend nor on public holidays. The next report from CT DPH will be issued Wednesday, Dec. 1, at around 4 p.m.

COVID-19 Cases in Lyme-Old Lyme Schools

This is the latest information that we have with the most recent cases first — there may have been further updates, however, which we have not yet received.

On Monday, Nov. 30, Lyme-Old Lyme Schools Superintendent Ian Neviaser informed the school community that a positive case of COVID-19 impacting Lyme-Old Lyme High School (LOLHS) had been reported.