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Old Lyme Boys Defeat Glastonbury with Last Minute Basket in Double OT Thriller

February 16, 2020 by Admin Leave a Comment

Aedan Using (#33) was Old Lyme’s top scorer in Saturday night’s non-conference game against Glastonbury. File photo.

LYME-OLD LYME — The Old Lyme boys’ basketball team held on to a hard-fought, double overtime 70-68 victory over Glastonbury in a non-Conference game played Saturday night on their home court.

Leading Old Lyme’s scoring was Aedan Using with 27 points, 17 rebounds, six assists, and four blocks. Other top scorers for the Wildcats were Jared Ritchie with 14, Brady Sheffield with 12, and Ray Doll with 11.

Glastonbury hit a lay-up with 11 seconds left, which Old Lyme failed to answer, to equalize with the Wildcats and force the first overtime. At the end of the first overtime, Glastonbury’s Dave Tosatti hit a three-pointer with seven seconds on the clock to force the second OT.

But in the second OT, Old Lyme’s Aedan Using found a cutting Jacob Ritchie, who made a basket with just 20 seconds remaining that turned out to be the game winner.

Old Lyme is currently 13-1 in the Shoreline Conference and 15-1 in the season.

In previous games:

Feb. 12

Old Lyme beat Amistad 57-56. Leading Old Lyme was Aedan Using with 20 points and 15 rebounds. Also contributing were Brady Sheffield with 11, Ray Doll and Jared Ritchie each chipped in 10.

Amistad was led by Bordeaux who scored 12 points.

Feb. 8

Old Lyme beat Old Saybrook 72-44. Ray Doll led all scorers with 18. Brady Sheffield and Aedan Using each had 12 while Jared Ritchie notched 10. Aedan Using also had nine rebounds and five assists.

Mike Almada led OS with 22 points.

Feb. 4

Old Lyme beat Westbrook 98-50. Leading Old Lyme was Aeden Using with 29 points and Jared Richie with 18 points. Brady Sheffield added 14 points.

Westbrook were led by Joey Caslin, who had 14 points, and Brenden Engles with 13.

Filed Under: Lyme, Old Lyme, Sport, Top Story

Essex Winter Series Continues with Concert by Classical Guitar Duo, LINÜ, March 8

February 16, 2020 by Admin Leave a Comment

ESSEX – The Essex Winter Series (EWS) season continues March 8 with the classical guitar duo, LINÜ, performing at John Winthrop Middle School, Deep River. The virtuosic and versatile Gulli Bjornsson and JIJI are aspiring young artists searching for new ways to promote classical music. They have received many accolades for their guitar playing and have backgrounds in composition, film, electronic music, visual arts and theater.

Essex Winter Series’ 43rd season concludes on March 29 at Valley Regional High School with BeethovenFest, a celebration of Beethoven’s 250th with seven world-renowned artists: David Shiffrin, clarinet; William Purvis, horn; Marc Goldberg, bassoon; Ida Kavafian, violin; Steven Tenenbom, viola; Peter Wiley, cello; and Timothy Cobb, double bass.

All concerts begin at 3 p.m. and are general admission. For tickets call 860-272-4572 or visit www.essexwinterseries.com.

The 2020 season is generously sponsored by Masonicare at Chester Village with co-sponsors The Clark Group, Essex Meadows, Essex Savings Bank, Jeffrey N. Mehler CFP LLC, Tower Laboratories, and hospitality sponsors Guilford Savings Bank and BrandTech Scientific.

Filed Under: Arts, Essex

Book Review: ‘Last Day’ by Luanne Rice is ‘a Unique Combination of Psychological Thriller, Cozy Murder Mystery’

February 13, 2020 by Paulette Zander Leave a Comment

Editor’s Note: We are delighted to welcome Paulette Zander to LymeLine today as an occasional guest book reviewer. Many readers will remember Paulette from her days running ‘The Happy Carrot Bookshop’ in Old Lyme. An accomplished author herself, Paulette has reviewed the latest work by local resident, the acclaimed author Luanne Rice, whose 34th novel has just been published.

Internationally-known local author, Luanne Rice, has just published her 34th novel, Last Day; her first in the mystery/thriller genre. Last Day is also the first pick of The New London Day’s new regional book club, in partnership with Bank Square Books in Mystic. The new book club is the brainchild of Rick Koster, who is the arts and music reporter for the paper.

Last Day was also chosen for the January “First Reads” selection on Amazon and is also touted by such illustrious authors as Lee Child, Tess Gerritson, Lisa Unger, and Lisa Scottoline.

I will state at the outset for dedicated fans, that although this book is a departure from her other adult fiction, there’s no need to panic. The themes of love, loss, sisterly devotion, betrayals, and family ties are skillfully interwoven.

The difference with this novel is that all those wonderful, familiar, lyrical elements are interlaced with a murder mystery that is at times gruesome and gritty. That dark aspect is unexpected, but Rice has found the right balance. She juxtaposes the backstories of the victim’s family and friends with disturbing details about the heinous murder, but she doesn’t dwell overly long on the gruesome and the gritty. This makes for a unique combination of psychological thriller and cozy murder mystery.

The story is set on the Connecticut shoreline and is loosely based on the murder of Ellen Sherman in 1985 in Niantic. That real crime took years to solve. The murder in Last Day doesn’t take quite so long to unravel, but it is as baffling as the case it is based on. A secondary mystery involving the theft of a painting called Moonlight compounds the story.

NYT best-selling author Luanne Rice. File photo

Rice is adept at showing the immediacy of pain and betrayal, and there’s plenty of both in this story. The characters are varied and interesting and they all have a plausible motive. Rice provides plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing until the end. The subtle clues are also there, but like any good mystery, many readers will have to go back to find them.

As always, for local fans, it is fun to guess or recognize the various locales. Rice has featured the village of Black Hall in many of her novels, so fans familiar with her work know that Black Hall is Old Lyme. One assumes the art gallery on Main Street is the Cooley Art Gallery, and the depictions of the flora and fauna conjures familiar images for anyone who has walked, hiked, or boated in the area. Many New London landmarks make an appearance as well.

Interspersed throughout the story are some disturbing elements that are graphically depicted. However, these passages are relieved by Rice’s excellent pacing. She ratchets down the tension by occasionally segueing into tidbits of art and nautical history and other interesting diversions. She provides just enough intriguing detail to make the reader want to learn more, I often stopped reading long enough to jot down notes to Google after I finished the book.

I’ve been reading Rice’s novels since the early 1990s, and I’ve always marveled at her exquisite nature prose. She once again doesn’t disappoint in this novel. If Rice wrote an Eyewitness Travel Guide for Old Lyme, the town would be overrun with tourists eager to meander through this hidden gem.

Another aspect of Rice’s writing I’ve always admired is her depiction of women. She portrays strong, capable, independent women. She doesn’t make them super women, though. They have vulnerabilities and flaws. Her female characters aren’t artificial, which makes them believable. The female characters in Last Day are simultaneously fragile and strong.

If I can find any fault with this story, it is that I was initially disappointed when the killer’s identity was revealed. I questioned whether or not the killer’s motive was strong enough. But, after some thought, I had to concede that I don’t understand any killer’s motives.

I’ve read extensively about Ted Bundy, but I still haven’t figured out how he could have committed such vicious murders. I think that’s true for most of us. We aren’t murderers, and we cannot fathom how or why anyone would take another’s life. All murder is incomprehensible, so why would I expect the motive of a fictional character to make any sense to me? In Last Day, the motive is as mysterious as the murder, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.

Paulette Zander

About the author: Paulette Zander is the former owner of ‘The Happy Carrot Bookshop’ in Old Lyme. She earned her MFA in creative writing from Lindenwood University in St. Charles, MO and is currently pursuing her master’s degree in library science at St. John’s University in New York City. Her short fiction has appeared in Flash Fiction World, 62^nd Stories, Everyday Fiction, Pearce Publications, The Penman Review, The Longridge Review, and Crack the Spine. She splits her time between Niantic, Connecticut and Taos, New Mexico and is currently writing her second novel, but occasionally dispenses writing advice, random observations, and flash fiction on her blog at Ink to You: Rhetoric for the Masses and on Twitter @InktoYou.

Filed Under: Arts, Old Lyme, Top Story

Proposed 2020-21 Budget for Lyme-Old Lyme Schools Shows First Ever Decrease Over Current Year

February 13, 2020 by Admin Leave a Comment

Lyme-Old Lyme Schools Superintendent Ian Neviaser

LYME-OLD LYME — In what Superintendent Ian Neviaser said is a first for the district, the Lyme-Old Lyme Board of Education approved a proposed 2020-21 budget that is less than the current budget but does not cut programming or staff.

The $35,066,107 million budget is $18,651, or 0.05 percent less than the current $35,084,758 spending plan.

Neviaser said the decrease in large part is due to ..

Read the full article by Mary Biekert and published Feb. 10 on TheDay.com at this link.

Filed Under: Lyme, Old Lyme, Schools, Top Story

Sen. Formica Supports Proposals to Increase Transparency, Oversight of Quasi Agency Reform

February 13, 2020 by Admin Leave a Comment

Sen. Paul Formica (R-20th) speaks during Tuesday’s press conference at which recommendations to increase transparency and oversight of Connecticut’s quasi-public agencies were presented.

HARTFORD/OLD LYME – Senator Paul Formica (R-20th), whose District includes Old Lyme, joined Senate and House Republicans at a press conference Tuesday to put forward recommendations to increase transparency and oversight of Connecticut’s quasi-public agencies.

Sen. Formica said, “There is no question that Connecticut’s quasi-public agencies handle vital functions for the state. It is time to make sure these functions are being performed properly. I’m proud to stand with my colleagues and offer solutions – specific reforms to increase transparency and prevent further issues. We have a responsibility as legislators to protect taxpayers and enforce trust and transparency with all agencies including the quasi-public agencies.”

“Reforms that mandate accountability and transparency from quasi-public agencies must be in place before they are issued any more authority, projects or funding,” added Sen. Formica.

Proposals from this Senate Republican plan include:

Require submission of quasi-public agency separation agreements and contracts with an annual cost of over $50,000 or a duration of five years or greater to the Attorney General for review and comment before entering into or renewing any such contracts.
Eliminate the State Code of Ethics carve out for quasi-publics regarding contracts with immediate family members. This change will strengthen the code of ethics application in quasi publics to prevent family members of employees from inappropriately benefiting financially through employment or contracts awarded.
If any appointment has not been filled for 3 months, the Board of any quasi-public must send notice to those responsible for making appointment. If an appointment is not filled for more than 6 months after that, allow the Board to fill any such open appointment.
Require all quasi publics to submit all salaries to the Comptroller’s office, OFA and committee of cognizance annually.
Require all quasi-publics to submit any salary proposed that will exceed more than $200,000 or higher or a 5% or higher salary increase to the committee of cognizance. If no committee of cognizance, require such information be sent to the Appropriations Committee. Committees will review prior to salary becoming effective.
Require each quasi-public to report annually to the committee of cognizance and appear before such committee to answer questions regarding such report. The form and substance required in the report shall be set forth by OPM.
Require all quasi-public agencies to submit financials to the Comptroller for disclosure on CORE.
Require an Office of Policy and Management (OPM) designee to be on any finance committee of the board of any quasi-public entity.
Charge the Department of Administrative Services with developing off the shelf policies and procedures that can be used by all quasi-publics with little modification.
Extend Attorney/Client Privilege to members of the General Assembly, and its staff, State Auditors and the office of the Attorney General so that privilege is not waived by sharing materials with any of the entities.
Require each quasi-public to report specified information annually to the Governor, Auditors of Public Accounts and Office of Fiscal Analysis.

Editor’s Notes: (i) Visit this link for a related article titled Republicans Question Lamont Administration Over Quasi-Public Agencies by Christine Stuart and published Feb. 11 on CTNewsJunkie.com.

(ii) This article is based on a press release issued by Sen. Paul Formica’s office.

(ii) Senator Paul Formica represents the residents of the 20th Senatorial District, which includes Old Lyme along with Bozrah, East Lyme, Montville, New London, Old Saybrook, Salem and Waterford.

Filed Under: Old Lyme, Politics, Top Story

Girls’ Basketball: ‘Cats Lose to Morgan But Defeat H-K

February 12, 2020 by Admin Leave a Comment

LYME-OLD LYME — The Lyme-Old Lyme Varsity girls played what coach Don Bugbee called a, “physically tough” game Saturday (Feb. 8) and came away with a 38-32 loss but it was by no means an embarrassing one. The low score hints at the demanding nature of the contest causing Bugbee to conclude, “We’ll learn from our shortcomings and get better as a result.”

Junior Sam Gray scored eight points and nabbed five rebounds, while fellow Junior Grace Lathrop added six points and five rebounds. Senior Taylor Thompson also scored six pooints with six rebounds and Junior Ellie Zrenda contributed the same number of points and rebounds as Thompson.

Old Lyme’s record stood at 10-6 at the end of that game.

The Junior Varsity girls, who are having an exceptional season, took their record to 14-1 with a resounding 52-16 victory over Morgan. Sophomore Ali Kyle led the team’s scoring with 15 points followed by Freshman Hayley Cann with 12 and Sophomore Marina Saia Lloret with nine points.

Tuesday (Feb. 11) brought the Haddam-Killingworth girls down to Old Lyme but H-K went home with a bitter 34-54 loss allowing the Wildcats to take their record to 11-6. Bugbee described it as, “A very solid team effort both offensively and defensively throughout the game,” adding, “Contributions in all aspects of the game coming from everyone made us a difficult opponent for sure.”

Junior Sam Gray scored 14 points while fellow Junior Emily DeRoehn also scored 14 with 10 rebounds and three steals. Junior Ellie Zrenda notched nine points, four rebounds and three steals.

The JV team continued their extraordinary march with a 42-24 win over H-K taking their record to a remarkable 15-1.
Freshman Hayley Cann scored 16 points while fellow Freshman Alexis Fenton added 13.

On Friday, Feb. 14, Old Lyme take on Fitch at 5:30 p.m. (JV) and 7 p.m. This home game for Old Lyme will also be Senior Night at which the team’s sole Senior, Taylor Thompson and her parents will be honored.

Filed Under: Lyme, Old Lyme, Sport, Top Story

Save The Date for East Lyme’s 2020 ‘Touch-a-Truck,’ May 16

February 10, 2020 by Admin Leave a Comment

Touch A Truck is for one and all, big and small.
Spend some time with us, have yourselves a ball.

EAST LYME — On Saturday, May 16, the Thames West Auxiliary of Child and Family Agency of Southeastern Connecticut and the East Lyme Parks & Recreation Department will co-sponsor the 13th Annual Touch A Truck. This family event will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at McCook Point Park in Niantic, Conn., with a rain date of Sunday, May 17.

Fire engines, food, and face painting will all be on offer! This year, the event celebrates Armed Forces Day (May 16) with an emphasis on vehicles from the National Guard, Submarine Base, and Coast Guard. In addition, music performances in the Band Pavilion will feature patriotic music.

The main event is, of course, trucks! Children will be able to climb, steer, blow horns, and just imagine in a wonderful array of trucks. This unique event will feature vehicles from the military, law enforcement, fire departments, commercial companies, and industrial companies.

In addition, Roaming Railroad will provide tours around the park. Six Food Trucks will return to provide an array of food choices for snacks and lunch. Also, the Rotary Club of Niantic will be on hand to present Amber Alert, a program allowing parents to take steps to safeguard their children. There will also be face-painting, hair-beading, games, and crafts.

The suggested donation is $5 per person (age 2 and up) to benefit the Child and Family Agency (CFA) of Southeastern CT, Inc., a private non-profit that has been working to support children and families for over 200 years. CFA provides a continuum of care beginning with early childhood development centers, outpatient and home-based behavioral health services, as well as school-based health centers and after-school programming. Last year CFA served over 10,000 children and families in over 40 Connecticut communities.

Visit the CFA website to learn more about the Agency, to volunteer, or to donate.

To learn more about Touch A Truck 2020 or to register a vehicle, visit the CFA website, their Facebook page ‘Touch A Truck East Lyme, CT’ or call Child & Family Agency at 860-443-2896, Ext. 1407.

Filed Under: Community, Old Lyme

Lyme-Old Lyme Schools Hire East Haddam Op’s Director as Facilities Director, Succeeding 20-Year Incumbent John Rhodes

February 10, 2020 by Admin Leave a Comment

Ronald Turner is the newly-appointed Lyme-Old Lyme Schools Facilities Director.

LYME-OLD LYME — Lyme-Old Lyme Schools have announced that Ronald Turner has been hired to fill the position of Director of Facilities and Technology. Turner will replace John Rhodes, who is retiring after 20 years service to the district.

Turner is currently the Director of Operations for the Town of East Haddam, Conn., where he is responsible for 40 different properties including the entire school system. Prior to his work in East Haddam, Turner was employed by the Connecticut State Police for t22 years and brings a strong school safety background to the position.

He is a graduate of Skidmore College and stood out among a pool of over 50 candidates for the position.

He will begin his new position on March 2, 2020.

Filed Under: Lyme, News, Old Lyme, Schools

Tickets on Sale Now for Fourth Annual Festival of Women’s Plays at Ivoryton Playhouse, Feb. 22

February 9, 2020 by Admin Leave a Comment

Sharon Goulner’s play is Savior.

IVORYTON: The Ivoryton Playhouse has announced the date of its Fourth Annual Women
Playwrights Initiative – 4 x 4 in 2020.

Over 170 plays from all over the country were submitted to the initiative and the four finalists will be traveling to Ivoryton from Washington State, California, Indiana and Maryland to have their work presented in a series of staged reading on Saturday, Feb. 22, with a snow date of Sunday, Feb. 23.

The Initiative includes the Ellie Award and a $500 stipend for each of the four women playwrights chosen and provides a safe, nurturing environment for the development of new, one-act plays with a director and actors.

The plays are by and about women and the issues that shape their lives, and the workshop culminates in a festival of staged readings, which will take place at the Ivoryton Playhouse, 103 Main St., Ivoryton, CT 06422.

Crystal V. Rhodes’s play is 1200 miles to Jerome.

At 2 p.m., there will be two readings presented. Savior by Sharon Goldner finds two modern moms at a yoga class dealing with an absurd yet very familiar situation – what do you do when your five-year-old tells you he is the messiah?

1200 miles to Jerome by Crystal V. Rhodes relates the daunting experience of the Franklin family, who are traveling through the Deep South with a fugitive in tow in the 1940s. It is a journey in which “driving while black” could mean the difference between life and death.

At 7 p.m., the festival will continue witha performance of Court by Holly Arsenault, which takes an intimate look at divorce and custody battles from a child’s unique, funny and raw perspective.

Deanna and Paul by Dagney Kerr concludes the event. In this play, Deanna is a quirky waitress with a strict no tipping policy and Paul a surly customer with a tight lid on his heart. Their lonely worlds collide one day in a small-town diner, where one cup of coffee can change everything.

To purchase tickets for the Women Playwrights Festival, call 860.767.7318 or visit www.ivorytonplayhouse.org

Holly Arsenault’s play is Court.

Tickets are priced as follows: $20 — adult; $15 — senior; $10 — student for one performance.

Buy tickets for both performances at these special prices: $30 — adult; $25 — senior; $10 — student. Call the box office at 860.767.7318 to book two-performance packages.

Check the Playhouse website for additional workshops and special festival deals with local restaurants.

The Ivoryton Playhouse is located at 103 Main Street, Ivoryton, CT 06442.

Dagney Kerr’s play is Deanna and Paul.

For more information about the Women Playwrights Initiative and to read biographies of the playwrights, visit www.ivorytonplayhouse.org

Filed Under: Arts, Business, Essex, Top Story

Old Lyme Basketball Girls Claim Another Victory, This Time Over Old Saybrook

February 8, 2020 by Admin Leave a Comment

OLD LYME — Last Thursday, Feb. 6, saw Don Bugbee’s girls, who were playing on their home court, soundly defeat Shoreline rivals Old Saybrook 49-35, taking the Wildcats’ record for the season to 10-5.

A delighted Bugbee described the critical part of the game as the third quarter when he said that the team gave, “A very strong performance outscoring the Rams 20-9,” noting that was, “The difference in the game for sure.” He added that the Wildcats had offered, “a solid team defense,” noting that, “Scoring 20 points in a quarter is a difficult match-up for any team to overcome.”

Game highlights included junior Sam Gray scoring 19 points with five rebounds and three steals while Junior Emily DeRoehn added nine points, nine rebounds and six steals. Senior Taylor Thompson contributed seven points, nine rebounds and three steals.

The Junior Varsity team also won the same evening crushing Old Saybrook 48-15 and thus taking their record to a remarkable 13-1. Freshman Hayley Cann scored an outstanding 20 points while fellow Freshman Alexis Fenton notched 13 and Sophomore Maddie Thompson added nine points.

Filed Under: Lyme, Old Lyme, Sport, Top Story

UPDATED 2/6: Lyme-Old Lyme HS, MS Issue Revised Q1 Honor Rolls

February 6, 2020 by Admin Leave a Comment

Editor’s Note: We received updated versions of the Honor Rolls this morning from the Superintendent’s Office with their apologies. We have therefore re-published the Honor Rolls in their entirety.

Lyme-Old Lyme High School

Q1 Honor Roll 2019-20

High Honors

Grade 12:

William Bartlett, Emma Bass, Audrey Berry, Madison Cann, Faith Caulkins, Emilia Cheesman, Elizabeth Cravinho, Arianna DelMastro, Maria Denya, Raymond Doll, Theodore Enoch, Leah Fouquette, Tanner Griffin, Sophia Griswold, Quinn Hickie, Lauren Huck, Jeffy Joshy, Daniel Kendall, Renate Kuhn, Rachael Larson, Brenna Lewis, Jacqueline Malizia, Thomas McCarthy, Ryan McTigue, Dylan Mulligan, Chandler Munson, Samantha Olson, Carter Popkin, Jared Ritchie, Samuel Roth, Andre Salkin, Jane Scheiber, Brady Sheffield, Colby Sides, Garrett Smith, Emily Speckhals, Alec Speirs, Evan St.Louis, Olivia Stack, Olivia Tetreault, Ryan Tetreault, Taylor Thompson, Lydia Tinnerello, Sydney Trowbridge, Megan VanSteenbergen, Jackson Warren, Theodore Wayland, Trevor Wells, Maggie Wisner, Conner Wyman, Katherine Zelmanow

Grade 11:

Paige Alpha, Colbe Andrews, Sophia Arnold, Juliette Atkinson, Rachel Barretta, Ava Berry, Emma Boardman, Sadie Bowman, Kyuss Buono, Kate Cheney, Emerson Colwell, Jackson Cowell, Megan Cravinho, George Danes, Emily DeRoehn, Francette Donato, Fiona Frederiks, Jackson Goulding, Schuyler Greenho, Emma Griffith, Isabella Hine, Paige Kolesnik, Avery Lacourciere, Grace Lathrop, Owen Macadam, Mackenzie Machnik, Luke Macy, Riley Nelson, Sophia Ortoleva, Connie Pan, Olivia Papanier, Lauren Pitt, Gavin Porter, Jacob Quaratella, Julie Rudd, Tait Sawden, Jesper Silberberg, Tessa St.Germain, Lian Thompson, Lauren Wallace, Kelly Walsh, Alison Ward

Grade 10:

Grace Arnold, Hannah Britt, Evan Clark, John Conley, Caroline Crolius, Elias D’Onofrio, Elizabeth Duddy, Eleanor Dushin, Samantha Geshel, Ethan Goss, Nicolette Hallahan, Austin Halsey, Madison Hubbard, Fiona Hufford, Julia Johnston, Nevin Joshy, Kian Kardestuncer, Owen Kegley, Michael Klier, Felse Kyle, William Larson, Reese Maguire, Abigail Manthous, Stephanie Mauro, Emily Mesham, Jacob Meyers, Elle Myers, Brendan O’Brien, Michael O’Donnell, Bella Orlando, Jacob Ritchie, Margaret Rommel, Alexander Roth, Lloret Sala, Olivia Schaedler, Calvin Scheiber, Abby Speckhals, Drew St.Louis, Nikolai Stephens-Zumbaum, Victoria Stout, Madison Thompson, Aidan Ward, Melanie Warren, Ellie Wells, Paige Winchell, Avery Wyman

Grade 9:

William Barry, Callie Bass, Livie Bass, Jordan Beebe, Cooper Bowman, Gillian Bradley, Ava Brinkerhoff, Jamie Bucior, Gretchen Burgess, Hayley Cann, Liam Celic, Luke Celic, Grace Colwell, William Danes, Anna Davis, John Eichholz, Zachary Eichholz, Clarence Hinckley, Willa Hoerauf, Arber Hoxha, Karissa Huang, Aidan Kerrigan, Celia LaConti, Phoebe Lampos, Theodore Lampos, Jonah Lathrop, Monique Lavoie, Marielle Mather, Madalyn McCulloch, Caden Monte, Cooper Munson, Olivia Powers, Kelsey Pryor, Izzadora Reynolds, Rhyleigh Russell, Eli Ryan, Dylan Sheehan, Anders Silberberg, Alyssa Spooner, Samantha Tan, Tova Toriello, Kaitlyn Ward, Harry Whitten, George Williams

Honors

Grade 12:

Anabella Arias, Jean-Luc Bolduc, Martinez Carcamo, Rory Cavicke, Philip Cone, Sarah Conley, Samuel Dushin, Araselys Farrell, Nicholas Fava, Katherine Funaro, Lucy Gilbert, Samuel Guenther, Kamber Hamou, Connor Hogan, Parker Hubbard, Kaitlyn Jacobson, Caroline King, Connor Maguire, Angelina Marinelli, Melissa Mauro, Natalie Meyers, Ryan Mitchell, Jeremy Montazella, Kyle Myers, Cajamarca Pelaez, Haley Stevens, Kiera Ulmer, Katelyn Wells, Clair Wholean

Grade 11:

Kaylee Armenia, Maxwell Bauchmann, Hunter Collins, John Cox, Patrick Dagher, Bianca Dasilva, Corah Engdall, Leslie Farrell, Isabella Flagge, Sadie Frankel, Eveliz Fuentes, Samantha Gray, Lillian Grethel, Regan Kaye, Gabriel Lavoie, Madelyn Maskell, Elle McAraw, Emma McCulloch, Brendan McTigue, Brianna Melillo, Marina Melluzzo, Michael Milazzo, Aidan Powers, Ezra Pyle, Hayden Saunders, Angus Tresnan, Katrina Wallace, Avery Welch, Katelyn Zbierski, Ellery Zrenda

Grade 10:

Nicholas Adeletti, Nihad Bicic, Olivia Catalano, Ryan Clark, John Coffey, Anne Colangelo, Sean Cordock, James Creagan, Lauren Creagan, Henry Cutler-Stamm, Elise DeBernardo, Michael DeGaetano, Liam Fallon, Victoria Gage, Aiden Goiangos, Shawn Grenier, Jackson Harris, Lillian Herrera, Zoe Jensen, Cora Kern, Robyn King, Olivia Lecza, Alex Lee, James Mazzalupo, Evan Morgan, Samuel Mullaney, Lauren Presti, Adeline Riccio, Aidan Russell, Frank Sablone, Abigail Sicuranza, McLean Signora, Meghan Speers, Olivia Turtoro, John Videll, Jerry Zhang

Grade 9:

Olivia Alpha, Elsie Arafeh-Hudson, Whitney Barbour, Jillian Beebe, John Buckley, Sarah Burnham, Alexander Chrysoulakis, Nicholas Cox, Kylie Dishaw, Archer Evans, David Evers, Alexis Fenton, Richard Frascarelli, Matthew Grammatico, Makenna Harms, Dylan Hovey, Owen Ingersoll-Bonsack, Karleigh Landers, Jacob Lopez-Bravo, Ford Macadam, Joseph Montazella, Calvin Monte, Alexander Olsen, Alain Pecher-Kohout, Jacob Rand, Santiago Rodriguez, Benjamin Roth, Joseph Steinmacher, Marco Supersano, Lea Wilson

Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School

Q1 Honor Roll 2019-20

High Honors

Grade 8:

Peighton Andrews, Emma Bayor, Oliver Berry, Alis Bicic, Elliot Bjornberg, Drew Brackley, Natalie Buckley, Jackson Bullock, Sarah Colangelo, Ava Cummins, Ella Curtiss-Reardon, Eric Dagher, Lucas DaSilva, Eva D’Onofrio, Amelia Gage, Ryder Goss, Sydney Goulding, Nyla Goulis, Alexis Grasdock, Justin Green, Douglas Griswold, Katherine Gryk, Nathaniel Heon, Sedona Holland, Agatha Hunt, Beatrice Hunt, Sabina Jungkeit, Emmerson Kaye, Grady Lacourciere, Brodie Lippincott, Anna McAdams, Griffin McGlinchey, Delaney Nelson, Isabelle O’Connor, Grace Phaneuf, Jack Porter, Luisa Raby, Ava Roth, Cailin Ruhling, Haley Shaw, Madeleine Soriano, Hannah Thomas, Keara Ward, Louisa Warlitz, Mason Wells, Summer Wollack

Grade 7:

Christopher Anderson, Emma Arelt, Natalie Barndt, Micah Bass, Gavin Biega, Molly Boardman, Mark Burnham, Chase Calderon, Tabitha Colwell, Gloria Conley, Chloe Datum, Andrea DeBernardo, Autumn Dionne, Zoe Eastman-Grossel, Caeli Edmed, Anna Eichholz, Ella Evans, Grace Ferman, Hoshena Gemme, Ava Gilbert, Henry Griswold, Jonathan Harms, Kaela Hoss, Kyle Ingersoll-Bonsack, Hannah Johnston, Shyla Jones, Simon Karpinski, Olivia Kelly, Ella Kiem, Ada LaConti, James Lahot, Brenden Landry, Elise Leonardo, Evan LeQuire, Andrew Liu, Abigail O’Brien, Kanon Oharu, Filip Pecher-Kohout, Sophie Pennie, Mutia Quarshie, Drea Simler, Nola Slubowski, Audrey Spiegel, Morgan Standish, Kathleen Walsh, Ava Wood-Muller

Grade 6:

Charlotte Antonino, Lucy Bartlett, Zoe Brunza, Alec Butzer, Trevor Buydos, Makayla Calderon, Tyler Cann, Julia Clark, Jack Conroy, Colman Curtiss-Reardon, Christopher Dagher, James Dahlke, Sophia D’Angelo, Braden Dawson, Michael DeFiore, Synthia Diaz, Rose Dimmock, William Donnelly, Alexa Donovan, Gabrielle Field, Arthur Fusscas, Eric Fusscas, Chase Gilbert, Alexander Glaras, Benjamin Goulding, Scarlette Graybill, Anne-Marie Hinckley, Bodie Holland, Christopher Kachur, Thomas Kelly, Katherine King, William Landon, Jade Lawton, Maya LeQuire, Jayden Livesey, Emily Looney, Ian Maeby, Elise Marchant, Yanza, Marin, Yanza, Marin, Samuel Masanz, Bridget McAdams, Carter McGlinchey, Ryan Miller, Eiley Montanaro, Madeline Murphy, Sybil Neary, Nina Nichols, Ryan Olsen, Ryan Ortoleva, Jackson Pannier, Quenten Patz, Isabella Presti, Jacob Prokopets, Taylor Quintin, Jenna Salpietro, Luca Signora, Emma Singleton, Charlotte Spiegel, Addison Spooner, Carson St.Louis, Andrew Taylor, Meredith Thompson, Margaret Thuma, Lucian Tracano, Madeleine Trepanier, John Turick, Connor Vautrain, Eve Videll, Elisabeth Viera, Warren Volles, Edith Williams, Oliver Wyman, Carl Zapatka, Katherine Zhang

Honors

Grade 8:

Jedidiah Arico, Henry Boremski, Macklin Cushman, Mulanga Drysile, Alexis Frascarelli, Abby Hale, Leland Hine, Dakota Kotzan, Luke Legein, Matthew Mazzalupo, Lucas McMillan, Matthew Miller, Avra Montazella, Charles Sahadi, Sydney Siefken, Owen Snurkowski, Gabriel Tooker, Kalea VanPelt, Tyler Wells

Grade 7:

Quinn Arico, Oliver Avelange, Justin Bonatti, Dylan Carnaroli, Shane Eastman-Grossel, Marcella Gencarella, Rowan Hovey, Elizabeth Lopez, Colette Marchant, Nathan Morgan, Max Novak, Ysabel Rodriguez, Andrew Sicuranza, Josephine Small, Madeline Supersano, Charlotte Tinniswood, Ava Wilcox

Grade 6:

Joshua Alix, Sebastian Lopez-Bravo, Madeline Power, Tanner Snurkowski, Gabriel Waldo, Julius Wilson

Filed Under: Lyme, Old Lyme, Schools, Top Story

‘Survivors of Suicide Loss’ Meet 1st, 3rd Thursdays at LYSB in Old Lyme

February 6, 2020 by Admin Leave a Comment

OLD LYME — The Brian Dagle Foundation hosts Survivors of Suicide Loss tomorrow, Thursday, Feb. 6, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Lymes’ Youth Service Bureau building, 59 Lyme St., Old Lyme. The group meets on the first and third Thursday of each month at the same location.

This group of survivors offer support, healing, and hope so that together they can survive their loss. The group provides an atmosphere of acceptance for exploring feelings that are often not understood by others. It offers a chance to share helpful resources and to provide and receive support through the long grief process.

All are welcome and admission is free. Call Ann Irr Dagle to register at 860-625-5280 or email her at bdtmemorialfoundation@gmail.com

This group is led by an American Foundation of Suicide Prevention trained facilitator, who is also a survivor of suicide loss.For more information, visit the Brian Dagle Foundation’s website.

Filed Under: Community, Old Lyme

State Sen. Needleman Announces Candidacy for Re-election in 33rd District, Includes Lyme

February 5, 2020 by Admin Leave a Comment

State Senator Norm Needleman (D-33rd)

ESSEX/LYME — State Senator Norm Needleman (D-Essex) announced his candidacy yesterday for re-election to the 33rd State Senate District. First elected to his seat in 2018, Senator Needleman represents the town of Lyme along with those of Colchester, Chester, Clinton, Essex, Deep River, East Haddam, East Hampton, Haddam, Old Saybrook, Westbrook, and Portland.

“It is an honor to be able to represent the 33rd Senatorial District, and I’m excited to continue serving my constituents,” said Sen. Needleman. “My time in the General Assembly has been an incredible experience, and I truly enjoy fighting for my district to ensure we build a stronger future for them and all the citizens of Connecticut. I humbly ask my constituents for the opportunity to do so for another term.”

Needleman serves as Senate Chair of the Energy and Technology Committee, Vice Chair of the Planning and Development Committee, and is a member of the Finance, Revenue and Bonding, Transportation, and Commerce Committees.

Filed Under: Essex, Lyme, Politics, Top Story

Old Lyme Basketball Girls Play Two, Win Two

February 4, 2020 by Admin Leave a Comment

LYME/OLD LYME — The Old Lyme girls enjoyed back-to-back wins on the road, Feb. 1 and 3.

Last Saturday, Feb. 1, the girls defeated North Branford 47-21 in what coach Don Bugbee described as “probably the best team effort of the season.” Noting that the girls were “regrouping after two straight losses,” he commented, “Contributions from 10 players, especially on the defensive aspect of the game, made them a very difficult match-up for North Branford.”

Highlights of the game included Junior Emily DeRoehn scoring 12 points, while taking nine rebounds and three steals. Meanwhile, Sophmore Megan Loflin added 12 points with five rebounds and Junior Sam Gray scored eight points, with five rebounds and three steals.

This game took the Wildcats record to 8-5.

Additionally, the Junior Varsity (JV) girls won their game 49-25, bringing their record to 11-1. Freshman Hayley Cann had 16 points and Sophmore McLean Signora added 15.

On Monday, Old Lyme continued their winning streak beating Westbrook away 54-31. Bugbee told LymeLine, “It was a very good team effort for the second straight game, which put us in control throughout the contest.” He added, “Contributions from 10 players, both defensively and offensively, were the key to this success.” Top scorer was junior Sam Gray, who scored 19 points and took eight rebounds.

The Wildcats are now 9-5.

The JV girls won their game 50-12, bringing their record to 12-1. Leading the team in scoring were freshman Hayley Cann with 11 points, sophomores Melanie Warren and Maddie Thompson with 10 and 9 points respectively, and freshman Alexis Fenton with nine.

Old Lyme, playing at home, meets Old Saybrook tomorrow, Thursday, Feb. 6, and then faces Morgan at Clinton on Saturday, Feb. 8.

Filed Under: Lyme, Old Lyme, Sport

Lyme-Old Lyme Schools to be Closed Nov. 3 to Serve as OL Polling Station for Presidential Election

February 4, 2020 by Admin Leave a Comment

Lyme-Old Lyme Schools Superintendent Ian Neviaser

OLD LYME — The Lyme-Old Lyme (LOL) Schools Board of Education voted at their last (Jan. 8) meeting to approve a 2020-2021 School Calendar, which includes all schools being closed on Tuesday, Nov. 3, in order for the schools to serve as the Old Lyme Polling Station for the 2020 Presidential Election.

Lyme-Old Lyme Schools Superintendent Ian Neviaser explained to LymeLine that in light of the very high turnout anticipated for the election in November, Old Lyme Registrars Cathy Carter (R) and Marylin Clark (D) have asked to “shift voting to the schools.” This is because there is significantly more space available at the schools than exists at the current polling station location of the Cross Lane Firehouse.

The LOL Schools Board of Education has now agreed to that request for November 2020, but a permanent change is still under discussion.

Filed Under: Lyme, News, Old Lyme, Schools, Top Story

Old Lyme Boys Continue their Winning Ways with Victory over East Hampton

February 1, 2020 by Admin Leave a Comment

LYME-OLD LYME — Kirk Kaczor’s boys continued their extraordinarily successful run this season taking their record to 11-1 with yet another win last night, this time over East Hampton.

Old Lyme outlasted the Bellringers 65-51. Leading the Wildcats were the duo of Aedan Using and Jared Ritchie, who scored 21 and 20 points respectively. Brady Sheffield chipped in with 11. Using also had 17 rebounds and five blocks, while Ray Doll notched six assists.

Tye Lynch and Stephen Brady scored 16 and 14 points respectively for East Hampton.

Filed Under: Lyme, Old Lyme, Sport

Are You Eligible for Earned Income Tax Credit? Find Out With Free Tax Help From VITA

January 31, 2020 by Admin Leave a Comment

HARTFORD/ LYME-OLD LYME — Workers may get a larger tax refund this year because of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). But to get it, you must file a tax return and claim it.

This year, IRS is promoting EITC and providing information on other refundable tax credits for which you may be eligible. This includes the Child Tax Credit (CTC), the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC), the Credit for Other Dependents (ODC) and the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC).

If your 2019 income is up to $56,000, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program in Connecticut provides free tax preparation services, including filing for the EITC and other credits for individuals and families with 2019 incomes up to $56,000, persons with disabilities and limited-English-speaking taxpayers. Appointments at VITA locations across the state are now open.

The Village for Families & Children, United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut, Human Resources Agency of New Britain and the Connecticut Association for Human Services have opened tax filing sites in Litchfield, Hartford, Tolland, Windham, Fairfield, New Haven, Middlesex and New London Counties.

To schedule an appointment at a VITA location, visit 211CT.org and click on “Tax Help” or dial 2-1-1 and press 3 then 6.

Experienced VITA volunteers are ready to help you with tax preparation in numerous locations across Connecticut. File photo.

VITA volunteers – trained by the Internal Revenue Service – ask you the needed questions to find out if you qualify for EITC and other refundable tax credits. They also prepare and e-file (electronically file) your tax return at no cost to you.

“Our community volunteers help you get EITC and the maximum refund you’re due. Our goal is to help you get it and get it right. This is money you can save or use to pay off bills, buy that car to get to work or make a down payment on a home. Let us help make your life a little easier,“ said Laura O’Keefe, director of family financial stability at The Village for Families and Children.

EITC can mean up to a $6,431 refund when you file a return if you have qualifying children. Workers without a qualifying child could be eligible for a smaller credit up to $519. According to the Internal Revenue Service, the average amount credited for 2019 was $2,476.

In 2019, 25 million workers received more than $63 billion in EITC refunds. In Connecticut, 216,000 workers received $485 million in Earned Income Tax Credits, averaging $2,243 per person.

The IRS estimates four of five eligible taxpayers claim and get the EITC. EITC and other income tax credits lifted an estimated 9 million people out of poverty last year, including 5 million or more than half of them children. (Source: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Policy Basics: The Earned Income Tax Credit, June 21, 2019)

Bring the following to make sure VITA volunteers get you the right amount of credit you deserve:

A valid driver’s license or other photo id card
Social security cards, a social security number verification letter for all persons listed on the return
Birth dates for all persons listed on return
All income statements: Forms W-2 and 1099, Social Security, unemployment, and other statements, such as pensions, stocks, interest and any documents showing taxes withheld
All records of expenses, such as tuition, mortgage interest, or real estate taxes
Copies of last year’s state and federal tax returns, if you have
Bank routing numbers and account numbers to direct deposit any refund
Dependent child care information: name and address of who you paid and either the caretaker’s SSN or other tax identification number
If you purchased coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace, Form 1095-A, Health Insurance Marketplace Statement
Both spouses to sign forms to e-file a joint tax return

In addition to face-to-face tax assistance, free online self-preparation and tax help is available for people who make up to $66,000 at www.myfreetaxes.com.

For more than a decade, VITA coalitions have been helping working families become financially secure. Free tax preparation is one way for hard-working families to keep more money in their wallets by obtaining the tax refunds and credits they have earned.

Last year, volunteers at 175 VITA locations across Connecticut brought $73,222.366.00 in total refunds and credits to filers.

The 2019-2020 VITA and MyFreeTaxes program partners are: CT Association for Human Services; Human Resources Agency of New Britain; Internal Revenue Service; The Village for Families & Children; and Connecticut United Ways.

Editor’s Note: This article is taken from a Press Release. For further information, contact one of the following:
Laura O’Keefe, Director of Family Financial Stability, The Village for Families & Children, lokeefe@thevillage.org, 860-236-4511 ext. 3836
Maura Cook, Director of Community Engagement and Marketing, United Way of Central and Northeastern CT, mcook@unitedwayinc.org; 860-493-1131
Juan Berrios, Community and Financial Services Program Manager, HRA of New Britain, jberrios@hranbct.org; 860-225-8601
Takima Robinson, VITA/Asset Building Program Manager, CT Association for Human Services, trobinson@cahs.org, 860-951-2212 x229

Filed Under: Community, Lyme, Old Lyme

There’s Not Just One ‘2019 Old Lyme Citizen of the Year’, But All Five Members of OLHS’s ‘Tuesday Morning Work Crew’!

January 30, 2020 by Michele Dickey 1 Comment

The 2019 Old Lyme Citizens of the Year stand in the front row in this photo: from left to right: C. Ellis Jewett, Ted Freeman, Stephen Joncus, Kevin Cole, and Skip Beebe. Celebrating with them and standing in the back row are the Old Lyme Board of Selectmen; from left to right, Selectwoman Mary Jo Nosal, Selectman Chris Kerr, and First Selectman Tim Griswold. Photo by Michele Dickey.

OLD LYME — The Annual Town Meeting held Monday evening in Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School concluded with the eagerly anticpated announcement of the 2019 Town of Old Lyme Citizen of the Year.

In an unexpected twist, First Selectman Tim Griswold opened the speech in which he would reveal the closely-guarded secret of the awardee chosen by the board of selectmen by saying, “This year we decided to award not just one citizen, but five citizens whose continued volunteerism and generosity has made an immeasurable impact on our community.”

He went on to name five men — Skip Beebe, Kevin Cole, Ted Freeman, Ellis Jewett and Stephen Joncus — who are affectionately known as the Old Lyme Historical Society’s (OLHS) “Tuesday Morning Work Crew.” Griswold noted that nitially the members consisted of Chairman Ellis, Beebe and Cole but they were soon joined by Freeman and finally by Joncus.

Old Lyme First Selectman Tim Griswold explains why the ‘Tuesday Morning Work Crew’ are collectively Old Lyme’s Citizen of the Year for 2019.

Explaining the history of the building that sparked the creation of the ‘Crew’, Griswold noted that the OLHS had purchased the former Grange building at 55 Lyme St. in February 2014 and almost immediately the work had begun. He went on to detail the long list of often extensive projects that the ‘Crew’ have completed over the years noting first that their first assignment was to “remove the awkward entrance lobby” and turn it into an office featuring a desk and counter, new exterior doors, new windows and a realigned set of interior doors.

The ‘Tuesday Morning Work Crew’ then “removed the hung ceiling in the auditorium to expose the bead-board” and added period light fixtures. Along the way, Ted Freeman fabricated two display cases for two donated antique doll houses.

Griswold continued his list noting that these veteran volunteers went on to build “an archive room inside the lower level,” complete with a Mitsubishi air handling system to maintain proper humidity and temperature levels.” They also created a reading room, replaced the furnace and added air conditioning for the building. Architect Steve Joncus designed the space layout and advised on the engineering aspects of the work.

The ‘Tuesday Morning Work Crew’ is all smiles after receiving their awards. Photo by Doris Coleman.

The remarkable list of accomplishments continued with a reworking of the northeast portion of the building in order to rebuild the old staircase, and creating a handicapped-accessible rear door entry, the latter of which Griswold said with a chuckle had been “demanded” by then OLHS Board Chair Alison Mitchell. They even installed a chair-lift elevator that services three different levels.

The Crew is presently working on refurbishing the lower level break room and mini-kitchen area and Griswold joked that “they may be thinking they are reaching the end of their “to do” list but I have a feeling Alison Mitchell believes that may not be the case!”

Griswold noted that the Crew handled every aspect of each project, including getting the proper building permits, purchasing building materials and lining up subcontractors, as needed. Saying, “They did all of this out of the goodness of their hearts and never asked for anything in return, Griswold emphasized, “The hundreds of hours they have donated have saved the Society well over $75,000.” He added that in addition, being local craftsmen, the Crew, “Inspired other local tradesmen and suppliers to discount their usual charges.”

Commenting that “One of the most beautiful parts of this story is the friendships that were expanded or developed,: Griswold explained that “These five guys began having breakfast before their putting in their volunteer hours or grabbed lunch afterwards. They are there for each other in times of need, and they make each other laugh. Griswold added with another of his familiar grins, “Well, mostly Kevin does!” Griswold added that you can always see their trucks parked in the parking lot behind the Society on Tuesdays and that, “Sometimes they don’t even take holidays off!”

Griswold concluded, “Often, you hear people say that the volunteer spirit has been decreasing over the last decade of two. However, when you look at the shining example set by the Crew, we can say the volunteer spirit in Old Lyme is alive and well … and even better, the inspirational contributions of the Crew will help preserve the history of our great town for generations to come. Congratulations Skip, Kevin, Ted, Ellis and Steve. You are most deserving of this recognition.”

Skip Beebe expresses his appreciation on behalf of the whole “Crew” for the Ctizen of the Year award.

After accepting their awards and expressing their sincere thanks to the board of selectmen, Beebe spoke first saying, “We are as close as five guys can be.” He credited Jewett for having caused him to be a member of the Crew and noted it was Ellis who originally invited him to join the OLHS.

Cole addressed the audience next noting, “It is humbling to receive this [award] …” and then adding in his characteristic jocular manner, “… but rather embarrassing because we decided way back that we would keep track of all the hours we do and then bill them at the end!”

Filed Under: Old Lyme, Top Story, Town Hall

Facts & Figures from Old Lyme EMS; Falls Dominate List of Reasons for Ambulance Call-Outs

January 29, 2020 by Doris Coleman Leave a Comment

You’ve seen their ambulances around town but do you know how many calls they respond to in a month?

OLD LYME — The Old Lyme EMS Ambulance Service responded to 74 calls in November 2019 and 70 in December 2019.

CATEGORY	NOVEMBER 2020	DECEMBER 2020
Falls	8	15
Injury/Trauma	2	0
Diabetic	1	0
Breathing Issues	5	6
Abdominal pain	2	2
Chest Pain	3	3
Cardiac Arrest	0	3
Stroke/CVA	0	0
Altered Mental Status	0	4
Traffic accident/MVA	16	10
Medical Device - alarm	6	1
Hazardous Material (Fumes, etc.)	0	0
Stand-by (Fire, etc.)	3	1
Lift Assistance	0	0
Fire - EMS for patients/firemen	2	1
Cold exposure	0	0
Convulsion/Seizure	2	1
Unconscious/Fainting	3	3
Allergic Reaction	0	0
Overdose	1	1
Psychiatric/Behavioral Health	7	4
Pain/Sick	9	12
Other	4	3
TOTAL	74	70

Following Up On Falls — Why They Happen, How to Avoid Them, What to Do If they Happen

Falls came in as the number one reason for ambulance call-outs in December and number two in November.

Falls can be caused by a myriad of reasons including falling out of a bed, off of a ladder, or down stairs; or slipping on a wet floor, snow/ice, or toys; or a medical reasonsuch as a changed or new medication resulting in a loss of balance.

If you have a walking frame, always use it to avoid falls.

Many falls are preventable if people would simply take a second to ask themselves if they should take the risk of going up the ladder, or call someone to help instead. Similarly, taking a few steps without a walker or cane when you normally use one, or making a snap decision to run out and get the mail in the snow without putting on the proper boots to avoid a slip can have disastrous consequences.

The amount of time it takes to think about a quick action like those mentioned is much shorter than the time it will taketo recover from an injury. Ask yourself if the risk is worth it or would it better to wait?

Although falls happen at any age, records show that 32,000 seniors fall each year causing detrimental injuries to themselves. With aging bodies, these injuries can be both life-altering and extremely costly to treat.

Whatever the injury, when you call 911, you can be assured that Old Lyme EMT’s (Emergency Medical Technician) and EMR’s (Emergency Medical Responders) are trained to the National Education Standards. Moreover, every EMT or EMR in the United States is trained to the exact same level by means of monthly mandatory and elective training sessions. (Our training will be the subject of another article.)

After a fall, if you are in a safe place, it is best not to move. Emergency Medical Service providers will evaluate the mechanism of injury, including

CMS (Circulatory, Motor and Sensory)-evaluation
obtaining vital signs to rule out any possible medical reasons for the fall
asking the patient or witness(es) full details of the fall/injury, recent pertinent medical issues and medication list.

Another way to avoid falls is to use the facilities provided by stores andbusinesses to assist you.

Once on the scene, it should take about 10 minutes in total to evaluate the reason for fall, take vitals, and stabilize any injuries for transport.

There may be times when a patient has hit his/her head and experienced a severe injury or bleed. This is when the 911 dispatcher will also send a paramedic to the scene — typically a paramedic from the Middlesex Health Medical Center in Westbrook.

Emergency Medical Technicians and EMR’s make up the body of a volunteer ambulance organization for BLS (Basic Life Support) whereas Paramedics provide ALS (Advanced Life Support.)

The paramedic will perform an advanced evaluation. Paramedics are ‘advanced’ EMT’s, who are able to run an EKG, intubate the airway, start an IV, administer medications, and more.

If paramedics find it necessary to stay with the patient for advanced care and transport with the EMT/EMR’s, they take over the care of the patient supported by BLS assistance frm the EMT/EMR’s.

An Important Reminder About ‘Lift Assists’

There may be a time when a patient has fallen and — whether elderly or not — is unable to get up. Under those circumstances, you can call 911 and request a ‘Lift Assist.’ An ambulance crew will respond to the scene, evaluate the patient’s vitals and ensure the patient is stable other than needing to be assisted and helped to their requested place, e.g. bed, chair, wheelchair.

There is no charge for this assistance — it is a community service. In the event additional manpower is required, 911 dispatchers will put out a call requesting additional EMS crew and/or volunteer firemen.

After evaluating a patient, if it is felt that the patient requires more than just a ‘Lift Assist,’ transportation will be provided.

If you have an interest in joining OLEMS to receive training as an EMR or EMT, call 860-434-0089 or stop by the Cross Lane Fire/EMS building Monday through Friday from 6 a.m.to 5 p.m. for more information. (The office will be manned unless the day crew is out on a call.)

Filed Under: Community, Old Lyme, Top Story

Old Lyme Basketball: Boys Win, Girls Lose

January 29, 2020 by Admin Leave a Comment

LYME-OLD LYME — In Monday evening’s games, the boys beat Coginchaug 80-39 in a Shoreline Conference game at Old Lyme. The girls meanwhile traveled to Durham where they lost to Coginchaug 58-31.

Leading Old Lyme scoring for the boys was Aedan Using with 25 points, six assists, and eight rebounds. Ray Doll scored 10 points and Brady Sheffield added eight points and seven assists.

Justin Penney and Chris Onofrio scored eight points each for Coginchaug.

The Old Lyme boys current record is 10-1.

Meanwhile, the girls coach Don Bugbee commented after his team’s loss, “We ran into a very good Coginchaug team on a night when we didn’t perform to our ability. We were overmatched from the start, but will learn from it and get better as a result of it.” He noted that the Wildvat’s top scorer was Emily DeRoehn with 14 points. The girls current record is 7-4.

Bugbee added that a highlight of the evening was the Old Lyme Junior Varsity (JV) girls winning their game against Coginchaug 30-28. in a thrilling finish, Alexis Fenton made two foul shots with three seconds left to give the ‘Cats the win.

Hayley Cann finished with12 points. The current JV record is 9-1.

Upcoming games for both teams are :

Thursday, Jan. 30: OL girls at East Hampton

Friday, Jan. 31: OL Boys v. East Hampton at home

Saturday, Feb. 1: OL girls at North Branford

Tuesday, Feb. 4: OL Boys v. Westbrook at home

Filed Under: Lyme, Old Lyme, Sport, Top Story