OLD LYME — The public is invited to a Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony celebrating The Stumble Inne on Thursday, March 17, at 3 p.m. The ceremony will mark the opening of the restaurant’s new pool room. All are welcome.
The Town’s Economic Development Commission (EDC) is kickstarting its new ribbon-cutting program with The Stumble Inne, which opened last summer but has unveiled a new pool room this week.
“We have several new businesses we are offering a ribbon-cutting program to, but wanted to begin with The Stumble Inne, even though they opened several months ago,” said EDC Chair Cheryl Poirier. “The Caramante family has invested in Old Lyme, and we wish to support them in this endeavor.”
Jim and Cyndi Caramante, who also owned The Hideaway, opened The Stumble Inne in the summer of 2022 to capture a younger audience. The Stumble Inne features live music on the weekends, trivia and karaoke nights, and the new game room complete with a pool table.
In addition to the EDC commissioners and barring urgent cancellations to schedules, Old Lyme’s three selectpersons and State Representative Devin Carney will be on hand to commend The Stumble Inne on its investment in Old Lyme.
Special for St Patrick’s Day, The Stumble Inne will be open from noon to midnight with menu additions including a corned beef dinner.
The Stumble Inne is located at 90 Halls Rd. in the Old Lyme Marketplace and can be reached by phone at 860-434-2342.
For more information about the venue, follow The Stumble Inne on Facebook.
Briana Harlan
OLD LYME — On Saturday, March 19, Public Art for Racial Justice Education (PARJE) hosts a free Community Mapping workshop in three sessions, which will look at opportunities and resources in Old Lyme and New London with an emphasis on equity.
Community engagement specialist Brianna Harlan will lead three sessions to discuss in-depth how the town of Old Lyme (a homogeneous, primarily white community) contrasts with New London (its neighboring, culturally-diverse city).
The first session is from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. and is for New London residents.
The first session is from 12 to 1 p.m. and for Old Lyme residents. Register for this free, virtual session here. In this event, participating residents will identify assets and opportunities in their neighborhoods, create “maps” of their community, and discuss hyper-local examples of racial inequity. This event is specifically for Old Lyme community mapping.
Th final session is from 1 to 2 p.m. and will bring all the participants together in a virtual environment.
These sessions will foster a deep understanding of where attendees live in relation to their neighbors. Local residents will gain a sense of responsibility for their resources and become informed advocates for equitable communities.
Harlan is an artist and activist best known for her work Black Love Blooms, which she performed at last year’s New London Dream Market. She is also a trained community leader, working with AmeriCorps, NeighborWorks America, Creative Capital, and Adobe.
Harlan currently works as a creative, community organizer and strategist for several community initiatives around the country including City University of New York’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Incubator.
For more information, visit www.racialjusticeart.org/map
OLD LYME — The Duck River Garden Club (DRGC) of Old Lyme will hold its monthly meeting and program on Wednesday, March 23, at Memorial Town Hall on Lyme St in Old Lyme. A social is held at 6:30 p.m., followed by the program at 7 p.m. A business meeting for members is held at the conclusion of the program.
The March program is “Spring Wildflowers” presented by Margery Winters. Connecticut is home to a myriad of spring wildflowers, and Margery will help us to learn how these flowers got their names, why they are special, where to find them, and why they bloom each spring.
Winters is the Assistant Director of Roaring Brook Nature Center located in Canton, Conn., Vice-President of the Simsbury Land Trust, and a long-time member and Past President of the Simsbury Garden Club.
Guests and potential members are always welcome to DRGC programs, and no registration is needed.
Contact Karen Geisler at (860) 434-5321 for further information.
OLD LYME — On Wednesday, March 23, at 6:30 p.m., the Old Lyme Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library hosts local author and artist, Spencer Reece, who will present, All the Beauty that is Still Left: A Poet’s Painted Book of Hours, via Zoom. All are welcome to this free presentation.
Devotional poet, priest, and National Book Award nominee Spencer Reece found himself with family in Old Lyme to wait out the pandemic.
Seeking happiness amid the difficulties of this new situation, he channeled change into art; producing 50 vibrant watercolors inspired by his life journeys and his reflections of faith. Each painting faces a quote from an acclaimed writer or spokesperson that has inspired him, becoming a poet’s painted “Book of Hours”.
Register here to receive the Zoom link for the presentation.
For more information about the library, visit www.oldlymelibrary.org or call (860)-434-1684.
NEW LONDON/LYME/OLD LYME — Ledge Light Health District (LLHD) will host a COVID-19 vaccine clinic on Thursday, March 24, 2022, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at its New London office. The Moderna vaccine and a very limited supply of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine will be available for anyone 18 years or older who needs a 1st or 2nd dose or is eligible for a booster dose.
Other vaccination clinics, including those for 5- to 17-years-old, are available with LLHD’s partner Griffin Health. All three vaccine brands will be available. Visit the LLHD website to find a clinic near you. https://llhd.org/coronavirus-covid-19-situation/covid-19-vaccine/covid-19-vaccine-find-a-vaccination/
The following groups are eligible for a booster shot:
Individuals who received the Moderna vaccine:
- Severely immunocompromised at 1 month or more after their initial series.
- Everyone 18+ at 5 months or more after their initial series.
Individuals who received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine:
- Severely immunocompromised at 1 month or more after their initial series.
- Everyone 12+ at 5 months or more after their initial series.
Individuals who received the J&J vaccine, booster shots are recommended for those who are 18 and older and who were vaccinated two or more months ago.
All clinics are free and open to the public. No appointment, insurance, or ID is needed. No one will be turned away for lack of insurance or identification.
Ledge Light Health District continues to provide weekly COVID testing opportunities in Groton, New London, Stonington, and Waterford. Visit the LLHD website for more information at https://llhd.org/coronavirus-covid-19-situation/covid-19-testing/
Community members and businesses are urged to access up-to-date information regarding the pandemic from reputable sources, including the Ledge Light Health District website (www.LLHD.org), Facebook (@LedgeLightHD), Twitter (@LedgeLightHD), and Instagram (@LedgeLightHD).
Ledge Light Health District – LLHD – serves as the local health department for East Lyme, Groton, Ledyard, Lyme, New London, North Stonington, Old Lyme, Stonington and Waterford, Connecticut. As a health district, formed under Connecticut General Statutes Section 19a-241, LLHD is a special unit of government, allowing member municipalities to provide comprehensive public health services to residents in a more efficient manner by consolidating the services within one organization.
OLD LYME — On Tuesday, March 29, at 7 p.m., the Old Lyme Affordable Housing Commission will host a second, online community workshop in order to continue the discussion about the state-mandated Affordable Housing Plan for Old Lyme. All are welcome.
At the first workshop, background information, the results of a local housing study, examples of affordable housing, and initial thinking about a strategy to meet the needs of the community were discussed.
The second workshop will focus on a proposed strategy and action plan that will meet the state requirement to, “Specify how the municipality intends to increase the number of affordable housing developments in the municipality.”
All Old Lyme residents are encouraged to join the workshop and add their voices to the discussion.
Connection information for the meeting can be found here.
OLD LYME — Today, Lyme-Old Lyme High School (LOLHS) students are holding a car wash from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in front of LOL Middle School.
No appointment is required. All are welcome.
A $25 donation is suggested. All donations will benefit the Safe Grad event held on the night of graduation for LOLHS Seniors.
The car wash is being coordinated by LOLHS Senior Nick Adeletti.
LYME — In honor of Earth Day, the Town of Lyme and the Lyme Public Hall & Local History Archives are sponsoring a town-wide annual clean-up of local roadsides, from Friday, Apr. 1, through Friday, Apr. 22.
On Saturday, April 2, there will be a Lyme Public Hall Open House from 12 to 3 p.m. — bags will be available for pick-up.
Free trash bags, recycling bags and gloves will be available at Lyme Town Hall, Lyme Public Library and the Hadlyme Country Store.
Full bags of litter or recyclables may be left by the side of the road — the Lyme Town Crew will pick them up. Be sure to wear bright clothing and only pick up litter during daylight hours.
For more information, contact Chris McCawley at 860-575-7741 or email [email protected]
OLD LYME — Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School (LOLMS) presents Mary Poppins Jr. Friday, April 1, and Saturday, April 2 at 7 p.m. in the LOLMS auditorium.
Use the QR code below to order tickets or visit https://www.showtix4u.com/event-details/62956
There will also be a matinee performance on Sunday, April 3, at 1 p.m.
This evening, Friday, April 8, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., Peter Drake, Provost of New York Academy of Art, will present an Artist Talk and Live Drawing Demonstration at Lyme Academy of Fine Arts. The event is free and all are welcome.
Drake was appointed Provost in January 2018 and previously served as the Dean of Academic Affairs since 2010 at the New York Academy of Art.
Drake continues to be a Thesis Advisor having previously taught at Parsons the New School for Design, the School of Visual Arts, and the Maryland Institute College of Art.
As a visual artist his work has been exhibited in solo and group exhibitions throughout the US, China and Europe, including solo shows at Linda Warren Projects (Chicago) and District & Co. (Dominican Republic) and group shows at Bernarducci Gallery (New York), Sloan Fine Art (New York / LA) and the Phoenix Museum of Art.
He has curated exhibitions for the New York Academy of Art, the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, Parsons and the Drawing Center. He is the recipient of numerous grants and awards, including a fellowship from the New York Foundation for the Arts, a National Endowment for the Arts Award and a MTA Arts for Transit Public Art Commission.
His work is the public collections of the Whitney Museum, the Phoenix Museum of Art, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, the Achenbach Collection and the Los Angeles County Art Museum.
Drake maintains a studio in DUMBO, Brooklyn through the Two Trees Cultural Space Program and is represented by Bernarducci Gallery, New York and Linda Warren Projects, Chicago.
This artist talk is made possible by the generous support of the Robert Lehman Foundation.
Guests will be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination. The Lyme Academy of Fine Arts has removed the mask mandate for students, staff, faculty, models, and visitors inside its buildings.
The health and safety of guests are of the utmost importance. CDC guidelines are regularly monitored and the Academy’s policies adjusted accordingly.
OLD LYME — Whose Children Are They? is a documentary featuring teachers, parents, and front-line experts, who explore what is happening in US Public Schools today.
It will be shown in Old Lyme on Friday, April 8, at 6:30 p.m. at the Shoreline Church, 287 Shore Rd.
Call 401.286.2650 for more information.
The Easter Bunny will be dropping by The Bowerbird on Saturday, April 9, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Stop in and say hello!
LYME — On Sunday, April 10, at 2 p.m., the Lyme Land Trust hosts a presentation about the Old Growth Forest Network with Professor Joan Maloof at Lyme Public Hall.
Professor Maloof, who is Professor Emeritus at Salisbury University, founded the Old Growth Forest Network in order to preserve, protect and promote the country’s few remaining stands of old-growth forests.
This program is of particular importance to regional residents as the Town of Lyme now plays an important role in the United States’ biospheric health as a holder of one of three such designated forests in the state of Connecticut. Lyme’s Johnston Preserve was designated a future Old Growth Forest in 2021.
Joan Maloof is the author of Treepedia: A Brief Compendium of Arboreal Lore, The Living Forest: A Visual Journey into the Heart of the Woods, Nature’s Temples: The Complex World of Old-Growth Forests, and Teaching the Trees: Lessons from the Forest and other publications.
Books will not be available for purchase at the talk, but if attendees bring your pre-purchased book(s), Joan Maloof will sign the book(s) after the talk. All books are available from the usual outlets, such as Amazon or Barnes and Noble or by ordering from your local bookstore.
To register for this event, email [email protected] with subject: “Old Growth Forest.”
This program is made possible be a generous co-sponsoring project between estuary magazine, the Friends of the Lyme Public Library, and the Lyme Land Trust in collaboration with the Town of Lyme.
OLD LYME — On Tuesday, April 12, from 6 to 7 p.m., the Southeast Connecticut World Affairs Council (SECWAC) hosts Professor Marci Shore from the Department of History at Yale University. She will speak on the highly topical subject of “The War in Ukraine.”
This will be a hybrid presentation offering both in-person and Zoom options.
Since this will be SECWAC’s return to in-person events, attendees will be required to wear a mask during the meeting, unless you are speaking. Also, chairs will be spread out to provide some level of social distancing.
Light hors d’oeuvres will be served in the half hour before the presentation starts.
Professor Shore recently published an article in the Wall Street Journal (February 26/27, Review) entitled “Why Ukrainians Are Prepared to Fight”, in which she described the historical context for the war, pointing out that eight years ago the country rose up against the corruption and brutality of Russian domination, and forged a new kind of civic bond and commitment.
Shore is associate professor of history at Yale University. She is the translator of Michał Głowiński’s The Black Seasons and the author of Caviar and Ashes: A Warsaw Generation’s Life and Death in Marxism, 1918-1968, The Taste of Ashes: The Afterlife of Totalitarianism in Eastern Europe, and The Ukrainian Night: An Intimate History of Revolution.
In 2018 she received a Guggenheim Fellowship for her current project about phenomenology in East-Central Europe tentatively titled Eyeglasses Floating in the Sky: Central European Encounters that Took Place while Searching for Truth.
Registration is free to members or $20 for non-members. Register at this link.
For more information on SECWAC, visit their website.
LYME — In celebration of Earth Day today, Lyme Land Trust is offering a live video screening tonight at 7 p.m. via Zoom of Spring Emergence: An Exploration of Wildflowers in Pleasant Valley and Jewett Preserves.
This new, 27-minute video is the third in a series of preserve explorations with charismatic naturalist Mike Zarfos.
Zarfos, the writer, and Sue Cope, the video editor, will be live for a brief introduction to the video and then, after the viewing, for a live Q & A.
All are welcome to join the presentation. Preregister by sending an email to [email protected] to obtain the Zoom link.
On Saturday, April 23, Lyme Land Trust offers an Earth Day Walk of the Johnston Preserve led by forest ecologist Anthony Irving. The walk will begin at 9:30 a.m. and last until around 11:30 a.m.
The Town of Lyme’s 250-acre Johnston Preserve was designated a future Old Growth Forest by the Old Growth Forest Network (OGFN) in 2021
This walk is co-sponsored by the Town of Lyme. Meet at the Johnston Preserve on Rte. 82 in Lyme.
There is no charge and all are welcome, but registration is required at [email protected]
LYME — On Saturday, April 23, from 10 a.m. to noon, the Lyme Ambulance Association is offering a class titled, ‘Emergency 101.’ The class is free for Lyme residents aged 14 and over and will teach attendees how to learn to recognize a medical emergency.
The class will be held at the Hamburg Fire Station.
Call 860-510-2815 to reserve your place.
The Rogers Lake Authority is holding a virtual meeting tonight, April 25, with a single agenda item of reviewing public comment concerning the controversial topic of No Wake Buoys.
To join the meeting, use the following meeting link: https://oldlymect.webex.com/oldlymect/j.php?MTID=m4be2068d5a47f0384c11fe3ab1950ae6
To join by phone, call: 1-408-418-9388 and enter Access Code: 2332 517 5949.
The Rogers Lake West Shores Association is holding a viewing party of the meeting at the Rogers Lake Clubhouse this evening at 7 p.m. All are welcome.
Editor’s Note: Read a related Open Letter to the Lyme, Old Lyme Boards of Selectmen:- Actions of Rogers Lake Authority Spark Concern, Anger published April 21, on LymeLine.com.