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The Why’s and What’s of Brexit, Find out More at SECWAC’s Presentation, Thursday; Dinner Reservations Due This Morning

June 24, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

Peter Rutland

The Southeast Connecticut World Affairs Council (SECWAC) hosts Peter Rutland Thursday, June 27, at the Old Lyme Country Club, 40 McCurdy Rd, Old Lyme, Conn. Rutland will present a talk titled, “Brexit: Why did it happen, and what comes next?”

A reception will be held at 5:30 p.m. and the presentation itself will start at 6 p.m.

Rutland is the Colin and Nancy Campbell Professor in Global Issues and Democratic Thought, and Professor of Government at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Conn.

The topic explores the Brexit referendum, which has triggered a constitutional crisis with profound implications for Britain’s political and economic future. It exposed deep flaws in the country’s political system and social identity. Why did the crisis happen, and what does the future hold? Rutland was a visiting professor at Manchester University in 2016 and witnessed the referendum first hand.

The event is free for members and $20 for walk-in’s. Members are encouraged to RSVP online and/or pre-pay securely for guest attendance or dinner. Walk-ins will still be accepted.

Following the presentation, join Rutland, guests, and fellow members for a meal at the Old Lyme Country Club at $35/person. A reservation for dinner is required in advance by the morning of Monday, June 24. Pre-register and pay securely online, call 860-912-5718, or email info@secwac.org to make your reservation (vegetarian option available if reserved in advance).

Checks payable to SECWAC or credit card payment are accepted before the meeting by Courtney Assad.

Learn more at secwac.org.

Filed Under: Community, Old Lyme, Top Story

Sound View Beach Association Hosts Bingo Every Wednesday Through Summer

June 24, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

Sound View Beach Association hosts Bingo on Wednesdays in the summer through Sept. 4, at the Shoreline Community Center, 39 Hartford Avenue, Old Lyme.

Doors open at 6 p.m. and the game starts at 7 p.m.

Come for a fun evening and win some money!

Admission is $12 per person.

For information, call Bob at 860-434-3745 or 860-225-9458.

Filed Under: Community, Old Lyme, Top Story

Clear Out Your Closets! Intake for 83rd Annual White Elephant Sale Starts Thursday

June 24, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

Intake, which starts this year Thursday, June 27, is always a busy time.

The ever popular White Elephant Sale (WES) hosted by the Ladies Benevolent Society of the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme is just around the corner.

For those not familiar with it, this 83rd annual sale is one of the main events on both local town and church calendars. It all starts with the intake period when you can drop off unwanted (but neither broken nor in poor condition) items at the church from your house — perhaps your basement, attic or closets — or yard.

Crowds anxiously await the first strike of 9 a.m. when the White Elephant Sale begins.

Garage, tag and rummage sales may be everyday affairs, but few, if any, can match the size and color of this one. The sale items are organized into some 20 departments that fill the church buildings as well as every available space on the lawn. The WES has grown so large that it has become a true “community event” since many of the donations are from non-church members and quite a number of volunteers are also from outside the church.

The sale raises a significant amount of money for missions and good works both locally and throughout the world. Some of the beneficiaries include food pantries, health organizations, family support centers, children’s programs, literacy volunteers, affordable housing, and disaster relief worldwide.

Always a big draw are the huge number of bikes for sale at bargain prices.

Intake begins on Thursday, June 27, from 9 a.m. to 2 pm continuing for the same time period Friday, June 28, Saturday, June 29, and Monday, July 1. Then there is a break for the July 4th holiday after which intake restarts for the final two days — Friday, July 5, and Saturday, July 6. There will be no evening intake sessions this year and also no large furniture pick-up. See the list below for a summary of donations that are welcomed, and those that are not.

The sale itself will be held on Friday, July 12, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturday, July 13, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Most departments offer items at half-price on the second day.

For more information about the sale or if you would like to volunteer to help in any capacity, whether with intake, the sale itself, or clean-up, call the church office at 860.434.8686 and/or visit www.fccol.org.

Items that will GLADLY be accepted [Quality Please!]
Antiques, Fine China, Silver
Appliances, Small (Working)
Art, Sculpture, Posters, Frames
Automobiles, Trucks [call church]
Bedding, Linens
Boats, Canoes, Kayaks
Bicycles, Tricycles
Books: Children’s, Non-Fiction, Fiction
Clothes & Shoes:
>Child’s, Men’s, Women’s
>Fine, Fashion
>Vintage, Costume & Accessories
Collections
Computer Hardware (working)
Curtains, Drapes
Electronics (Working)
Furniture: Indoor & Outdoor [call church 434-8686]
Gifts, Sundries, Knickknacks & Baskets
Jewelry: Costume & Fine
Kitchen Items (Appliances, Dishes, Cookware)
Lamps (Working)
Luggage [soft side or Steamer trunks only]
Musical Instruments
Plants, Containers
Skis – downhill must be “shape” style
Sporting Goods [good condition]
Tools (House & Garden)
Toys, Stuffed Animals [new]
DVDs (Family Content)

Items that WILL NOT be accepted:
Dirty or Broken Items or Junk

Appliances (Large):
>Air Conditioners
>Refrigerators, freezers & Stoves
>Washers & Dryers
Bike helmets [used – safety concerns]
Books: Technical or Textbooks, Encyclopedias
Car Seats – safety concerns
Cribs – safety concerns
Chemicals & Paint
Computer monitors [unless flat screen]
Fuel cans with Gasoline or Kerosene
Guns, Knives, Weapons
Luggage [hard sided]
Magazines, Newspapers
Mattresses and Box Springs
Particle board furniture
Rugs [used]
Sewing Machines
Skis – old style downhill
Stuffed animals [used]
Stuffed sofas / sofa beds
Tires
Treadmills
TVs [unless flat screen]

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

Carney Hosts Office Hours in Old Saybrook This Morning, 8-9am

June 24, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

State Representative Devin Carney (R-23rd)

State Reps. Devin Carney (R-23rd) and Jesse MacLachlan (R-35th) along with State Sen. Paul Formica (R-20th) will hold Office Hours throughout the 23rd District on various dates between June 10 and 27.

These events will provide constituents with an opportunity to ask questions or share their ideas and concerns about state government, local issues and the 2019 legislative session which will come to a close on June 5.

The remaining Office Hours schedule is as follows:

Old Saybrook
Monday, June 24, from 8 – 9 a.m.
State Rep. Carney
Vicky G. Duffy Pavilion
155 College St.

Westbrook
Thursday, June 27, from 6 – 7 p.m.
State Rep. Carney & State Rep. McLachlan
Westbrook Public Library
Community Room
61 Goodspeed Dr.

Anyone unable to attend, but who would like to speak to Rep. Carney may contact his office at 800-842-1423 or by email at: devin.carney@housegop.ct.gov.

Carney represents the 23rd General Assembly District, which includes the towns of Lyme, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook and a portion of Westbrook.

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

Two New Exhibitions on View at Lyme Art Association

June 23, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

One of the signature paintings in ‘Waterworks’ is ‘Sailing Off Weekapaug Point, Rhode Island’ by Tom Adkins. The medium is oil.

OLD LYME — Visitors of all ages will enjoy Waterworks, the Lyme Art Association (LAA)’s summer exhibition of work by the area’s premier maritime artists. The show will be on view in the beautiful sky-lit galleries from June 14 through Aug. 2.

Gallery manager Jocelyn Zallinger notes, “The peaceful interior of the Lyme Art Association is the perfect venue for marine-inspired art. The artwork, by member artists, takes inspiration from the sea in all its manifestations. Children playing by placid shorelines, boats in raging storms, solitary fishermen, and waves crashing on beaches are likely to be among the works represented.”

Waterworks will be juried by Karen Blackwood, signature member of American Society of Marine Artists.

Concurrent with theWaterworks exhibition, the Hudson Valley Art Association (HVAA) will present its 86th Annual Juried Exhibition. This exhibition includes the finest representational paintings, drawings, prints and sculpture from HVAA’s member artists.

Elizabeth Rhoades’s “An Evening to Remember” in pastel is featured in ‘Waterworks.’

Lyme Art Association Board President Katherine Simmons states, “Waterworks continues an LAA tradition of exhibiting the best of fine contemporary American marine art. We are also very pleased to welcome back the Hudson Valley Art Association and what is sure to be a very impressive show.”

The opening receptions and award presentations for both exhibitions will be held on Saturday, June 22, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Lyme Art Association, 90 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, Conn. and will feature great fun, music and refreshments for all.

The LAA was founded in 1914 by the American Impressionists and continues the tradition of exhibiting and selling representational artwork by its members and invited artists, as well as offering art instruction and lectures to the community. Located in a building designed by Charles Adams Platt within a national historic district, admission to the LAA is free with contributions appreciated.

Gallery hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information on exhibitions, purchase of art, art classes, or becoming a member, visit www.lymeartassociation.org or call (860) 434-7802.

Filed Under: Arts, Old Lyme, Top Story

Reading Uncertainly: ‘The Sense of Style’ by Steven Pinker

June 23, 2019 by Felix Kloman Leave a Comment

Every day we use words to communicate, in voice, letters, emails, reports, and even tweets. But do others really understand us?

Perhaps it is time to refresh our use of the English language. Steven Pinker, a renowned Harvard professor and author, suggests “the effective use of words to engage the human mind” (my italics), in his latest book.

“Style still matters,” he argues. It gets messages across, earns trust, and, perhaps most important, adds beauty to the world. We need to develop our “instinct for language,” coming from both reading and conversation, avoiding both the overly rigid rules of semanticists and simultaneously, the confusing colloquialisms of day-to-day communication. Trash such as “like” and “you know”!

Pinker is an engaging writer. He begins by recommending a re-read of three earlier commentators on language: William Strunk and E. B. White’s immortal The Elements of Style (1959), Henry Fowler’s Modern English Usage (1926), and Theodore Bernstein’s The Careful Writer (1968).

But Pinker moves on from those writers, as does our language. Today, he cites the common problems of overuse of jargon, abbreviations, and technical vocabulary. He reminds us of Strunk and White’s repeated urging for simplicity. Avoid passive sentences and lengthy phrases. Use the active sense. Be brief. Paragraph breaks: not too many and not too few. Avoid the “prissy use of quotation marks.”

One writer’s problem today is how to avoid the overuse of masculine nouns, when we are cautioned to use feminine or neuter. Pinker follows his own advice, alternating in each chapter, using masculine first as the object and then the subject, then the feminine, avoiding altogether the ugly and confusing neuter words.

For many years, I’ve followed the counsel of Occam’s Razor (the simpler answer may be correct). Pinker introduces Hanlon’s Razor: “Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.” I’ll use this in my next critique of politicians.

Pinker meanders a bit in his chapters on diagramming sentences (too complex; I prefer my own ear) and coherence (do we really need to understand the wars between prescriptivists and descriptivists?) These chapters are often overly detailed, although rich in examples.

By far his best chapter is his longest (117 pages), “Telling Right From Wrong”. It is a detailed discussion of possibilities, often with no “right” answers. Examples: split infinitives; shall versus will; that and which; who and whom; “very unique”; plus a section on words as seen and used by purists and relativists. How do you define and use decimate; convince; presently (one of my pet peeves); adverse versus averse; bemused; data (singular or plural?); fortuitous; irregardless (ugh!); parameter; tortuous; and the use of serial commas.

More damn fun and Pinker will change your habits. Enjoy stringing words together and above all, be coherent.

Editor’s Note: ‘The Sense of Style’ by Steven Pinker was published by Viking, New York 2014

About the Author: Felix Kloman is a sailor, rower, husband, father, grandfather, retired management consultant and, above all, a curious reader and writer. He’s explored how we as human beings and organizations respond to ever-present uncertainty in two books, ‘Mumpsimus Revisited’ (2005) and ‘The Fantods of Risk’ (2008). A 20-year resident of Lyme, he now writes book reviews, mostly of non-fiction, which explores our minds, our behavior, our politics and our history. But he does throw in a novel here and there. For more than 50 years, he’s put together the 17 syllables that comprise haiku, the traditional Japanese poetry, and now serves as the self-appointed “poet laureate” of Ashlawn Farm Coffee, where he may be seen on Friday mornings. His late wife, Ann, was also a writer, but of mystery novels, all of which begin in a village in midcoast Maine, strangely reminiscent of the town she and her husband visited every summer.

Filed Under: Reading Uncertainly, Top Story

Hundreds Happily Stroll Lyme Street to Hear ‘Sounds of Music’

June 22, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

Despite the vagaries of the weather Friday, more than 500 people of all ages braved the potential rainstorms that never happened and turned out last night to enjoy a wonderful Make Music Day on Lyme Street.

Full story and more photos coming Monday.

Filed Under: Old Lyme, Top Story

A la Carte: Spice Up Summer With These Carb-Free Chicken Lettuce Wraps

June 21, 2019 by Lee White Leave a Comment

Photo by Brenna Huff on Unsplash.

My first visit to Stone Acres for my CSA [Community-Supported Agriculture] on a warm, pretty afternoon and it would have been perfect had not my old hip hurt. Fortunately, the parking lot is just a hop, skip and jump to the farmstand.

As I walked to the stand, I saw Stonington First Selectman Rob Simmons and his wife take some visitors on a tour of the farm. Someday I would love to see the farm; instead, I patted a sweet black Labrador and talked to a young girl, who explained that that Lab wasn’t hers. “I have a yellow lab,” she explained. “Is your lab as nice as this one,” I asked. “Yes, she said, “but not as mellow.”

As I showed my receipt, I was given a dark green fabric-zipped tote I could use for all of my CSA goodies over the summer. That week there were fat gorgeous strawberries on a counter and baggies of herbs. In the refrigerator I chose lots of different types of lettuces, some blue mushrooms (local, but not from the farm), some blue cheese from Mystic Cheese Company, and French radishes. Each week there will be more and more choices. This is going to be a terrific summer of cooking and eating.

Over the weekend I did little walking and, for the first time, I finished the Sunday New York Times on Sunday. I also went through The Day, four weeks of the New Yorker and my latest edition of Bon Appetit. While that magazine, and most other June magazines, are called the grilling issue, I found some incredible salad ideas in Bon Appetit, including one with cantaloupe and snap peas.

Then I noticed this recipe that could be ready to eat in under 20 minutes and carb free, using my favorite lettuce, Bibb or butter lettuce.

Spicy Chicken Lettuce Wraps

From Bon Appetit, June/July, 2019

Yield: 4 servings

2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sambal oelek or Sriracha
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar (light brown sugar will do)
1 teaspoon fish sauce
3 scallions
2 garlic cloves
1 pound ground chicken
Salt to taste
Butter or Bibb lettuce leaves, thoroughly washed and dried
For serving: lime wedges and ramekin of Sriracha for a little more heat

Mix together the soy sauce, sambal oelek or Sriracha, sugar and fish sauce in a small bowl and set aside.

Trim the dark green parts of the scallions and slice thin. Set aside this part for serving. Thinly slice the white and pale green parts. Finely chop the garlic cloves.

In a skillet, heat the oil over medium Cook scallions and garlic, stirring occasionally, until softened (a little color is okay), about 3 minutes. Add ground chicken and lightly season with salt. Cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon and tasting occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Add reserve soy sauce mixture and cook, tossing occasionally, until liquid is almost completely reduced, about 2 minutes.

Serve in a platter with lettuce leaves topped with chopped dark green scallions.

About the author: Lee White (left), a former resident of Old Lyme, has been writing about restaurants and cooking since 1976. She has been extensively published in the Worcester (Mass.) Magazine, The Day, Norwich Bulletin, and Hartford Courant. She currently writes Nibbles and a cooking column called A La Carte for the Shore Publishing newspapers, and Elan, a quarterly magazine, all of which are now owned by The Day.

Filed Under: Nibbles, Top Story

Congratulations to the Class of 2019!

June 14, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

Graduates from the Class of 2019 celebrate receiving their Lyme-Old Lyme High School diplomas! All photos by Rosemary Comerford Reid.

Congratulations to the Class of 2019 on their graduation from Lyme-Old Lyme High School. The commencement ceremony was held outside yesterday evening under cloudy skies and included speeches from the Class President, Valedictorian, Salutatorian and Honor Essayist. Chosen by the Class, English teacher Jennifer Burke was named the Mildred Sanford Outstanding Educator of 2019.

The Class of 2019 celebrates its graduation with the traditional hat toss.

These students patiently await their turn to go forward onto the stage and receive their High School Diploma.

Superintendent Ian Neviaser reaches out his hand to shake that of a just conferred graduate of Lyme-Old Lyme High School.

One happy Wildcat graduate!

And on a personal note, we are so proud of our outstanding intern Katie Reid (center), who graduated yesterday with the Class of 2019, and is now off to Bowdoin College.

For a more detailed report of the evening, read Mary Biekert’s article on TheDay.com at this link.

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

Op-Ed: What’s Happening With Halls Road? Looking Back, Looking Forward, a Personal View of the Project

June 12, 2019 by Mark Terwilliger Leave a Comment

The view (minus traffic!) looking up Halls Road today — how will it look in 10 year’s time?

Editor’s Note: We felt it would be helpful to our readers to provide some context to Saturday’s Open House on the future of Halls Road and the important discussions it involves about the future of Old Lyme. While we were working on an article, Mark Terwilliger submitted his own thoughts on the project. We are publishing his piece here and will now publish our own later in the week. In the interests of full transparency, we note that Terwilliger is the partner of Halls Road Improvement Committee member Edie Twining.

What’s going on with Halls Road?

The Halls Road Improvement Committee (HRIC) is tasked with leading a town-wide discussion on the future of the Halls Road district. The ultimate goal of these discussions is the creation of a master plan that will guide future outside investments and development in that area.

How did this come about?

Some people in town were pushing for road and traffic changes to improve pedestrian / bicycle access to the shopping area on Halls Road, and asking the town to allocate money for those purposes. The town seemed amenable.

Other people said, “Wait a minute. Why should we make a non-trivial investment in this when we don’t even know what other (private or state) changes are planned, or in the offing, for this district? For that matter, we don’t even know what the town as a whole wants or needs from the future of this district.” And that began the process of looking in a more formal way at what changes we might want to see in the Halls Road district over the course of the next decade or two.

Why not just leave it alone?

Change is coming, whether we want it or not. No one can stop it. Our only choice is either to try to shape that change in the directions we want, or to let the changes happen to us without our input. The only outcome that is flatly impossible is “no change.”

The grocery stores of Old Lyme make a good example of change. In the early 20th century there were multiple grocers, meat markets, and general stores in various districts of Old Lyme. Main Street (as it was called then) had several, one of which was the A&P. The A&P was still the main grocery (and still on Lyme St.) in the 1950s. They told the town they needed to greatly expand their store and nearby parking to stay in business. Eventually the town responded by making two major adjustments.

A group of local investors raised money for a “modern” strip center along Halls Rd., and the town changed the zoning in that area to make it only suitable for such use: they zoned it for commercial use only, and required a 60 ft. set-back from the road to leave ample space for cars. When the A&P expanded further, new investors were sought and the original community investors held only a minority interest.

The A&P eventually went bankrupt, but the owners of the shopping center found a new anchor tenant in the Big Y.

Attracting and keeping businesses requires cooperation and responsiveness on the part of the town. The Big Y has a much larger store nearby in Old Saybrook and several more along the shoreline. I have no idea what the Big Y’s plans are for their smaller Old Lyme store, and anyone who is privy to that sort of information might not be at liberty to say.

Businesses make their own decisions based on their own interests, and that is as it should be. And that is the point. The environment changes, and businesses adapt or die. The town itself has a role to play in creating an environment that favors the kinds of businesses, the kinds of investments, and the kinds of development that will create and support the town as they want it to be.

What should we, as a town, hope to accomplish?

There is more to the town’s role than simply reacting to some proposed change or hustling to stave off a bad outcome. The whole object of the current process is to point to the most positive future for the Halls Road area and devise a sound set of measures to help create it.

If we (with the help of the HRIC and others) can put together a solid picture of the economic advantages of locating certain kinds of businesses in Old Lyme, and if we can demonstrate that we are in broad agreement as to what kinds of development we would like in the Halls Road area, and show that we are prepared to make the changes necessary to permit and promote that kind of development, then we have a much greater chance of attracting developers who will make the significant investments of money and time required to make our plans a reality.

All of these “ifs” will take time, effort, and involvement from many different groups and individuals. The Halls Road Improvement Committee is looking for broad-based participation, particularly in the processes leading to the creation of a master plan that can guide future developments along Halls Road.

A master plan does not create anything by fiat. The objective, rather, is to create a plan that has broad support, has a firm basis in economic realities, and offers attractive opportunities for reputable developers and current owners alike.

If we do not make this effort, if we simply leave the future shape of Halls Road to the uncoordinated, one-point decisions of each current and future property owner with no guidance from the town, we will have no room to complain when things do not go as we wish. That could happen in a big way if we do not plan ahead. Changes well beyond the control of the town or any particular business are already under way.

How have things changed?

Retail stores, particularly in strip malls and big box malls, are under severe pressure from online shopping. More than half of U.S. households are Amazon Prime members. I would guess the percentage is even higher in Old Lyme. The online-centered lifestyle has nearly killed the bookstores and wrecked retail giants.

Curiously, it has also created a new demand for what Old Lyme once had: a centralized meeting place with a mix of stores and homes, public buildings and public parks — a place where one could park the car and walk to do errands, meet friends, hear the latest, or just watch the world go by. It’s the meeting places and public life that are missing in the online-focused world.

Retailers and developers have taken notice and altered their plans accordingly. “Mixed use” is the one environment in which bricks-and-mortar retail still seems to flourish. It is a mix of residential, shopping, dining, entertainment, supermarkets, offices, and walkable public spaces that provide a place to linger and meet with friends.

When cars were the center of life, shopping required a huge parking lot. Now it takes a cell phone. More and more parking lots are half-empty or dead. It turns out you can’t have a neighborhood without actual neighbors, no matter how clever the marketing. When an area includes real, full-time residents, it feels different and alive. It isn’t just a place to run errands, but a place with a full life of its own.

People want the amenities of shops and so forth, but they also want the experience of other people around them. This is the one thing they cannot get when they are online — as they increasingly are whether at work or at leisure. Mixing residential and commercial, public and private spaces creates a more attractive environment for both businesses and residents.

Unmet needs and Halls Road

Older people who have lived in Old Lyme for decades find they must move to another town if they want to downsize. Mixed use housing in the Halls Road area could be an attractive alternative for many in this situation. It would also be attractive for younger people just starting out in life. Adding new uses to the land near Halls Road will also create new sources of tax revenue, providing some relief for existing tax payers.

What next?

The zoning we created to serve the 1950s’ car culture mandates nothing but strip malls — and that may now be an economic dead end. If we want anything new or different, we will have to make the changes to support it.

We as a town are a long way from having a shared vision of what is best for Halls Road. That process will take time and active participation. The HRIC works to lead the process, to make it transparent, and to keep people informed and involved. As a part of that effort, they are hosting an Open House at Memorial Town Hall this Saturday, June 15, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

I urge you to stop by for a few minutes and take a look at some of the ideas that are in discussion. The future shape of Halls Road is not a simple yes or no question. Most of us depend on the services available there, and many of us have ideas about how it could be better.

The HRIC Open House on Saturday is the latest opportunity to get involved in the discussion.

Filed Under: Community, Old Lyme, Op-Eds, Top Story

Talking Transportation: Why the Scorn for Bus Riders?

June 9, 2019 by Jim Cameron Leave a Comment

Jim Cameron

Why do many people have such scorn for those who take the bus?

Forty-one million trips are taken on 12,000 public buses each year in Connecticut in communities across the state (not counting school buses.) Yet, those riders are regarded as losers, not by the transit operators, but by those who drive by car.

When Southington was recently considering restoring bus service for the first time since 1969, a local resident wrote a letter to the local paper declaring “Towns that have bus service are towns that frankly have a lesser quality of people.”

Really? “Lesser quality,” how? Because they can’t afford to own a car? Or because they are minorities? That comment is either racist or classist or both.

As I wrote recently, the Greater Bridgeport Transit bus system carries 18,000 passengers every day (5.2 million a year), 90 percent of them either going to school or work. Something like 26 percent of all Bridgeport train riders got to or from the station by bus.

Sure, some are non-white or non-English speaking. But why begrudge them transportation? You’d rather they not have a job or an education?

And yes, their fares are kept low with state subsidies. But their incomes are also low and for them, even a $1.75 bus fare is expensive. Remember … Metro-North trips (26.5 million per year), though also expensive (the highest in the US), are also subsidized.

But the biggest target of transit scorn is CTfastrak, the four-year-old, 9.4-mile-long dedicated BRT (bus rapid transit) system running between Hartford and New Britain. Transit planners from across the country come to study CTfastrak. The Feds are looking to spend $665 million on similar systems across the US.

Yet Connecticut Republicans were trying to close it before it even began.

When it first opened in 2014, the CDOT projected 16,000 daily riders. To date, the ridership is closer to 11,400. Fares are cheap ($1.75 round-trip) and service is frequent with buses departing every few minutes. From New Britain to downtown Hartford, it’s only 20 minutes, even at rush hour. That’s about half the time you’d spend on I-84 stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic.

From the dedicated bus-only right-of-way, buses can also transfer to local roads into downtown Hartford and communities ranging from New Britain and Bristol to Cheshire and Waterbury. The stations are clean and modern and the buses even offer free Wi-Fi … something we still don’t (and probably never will) have on Metro-North.

Critics complain about “empty buses” riding up and down the system. Sure, the buses may not be jammed like Metro-North on a summertime Friday, but they do carry thousands every day. Imagine if those bus riders were in cars. How’d you like the traffic then?

Why the scorn for bus riders? Beyond racism and class-warfare, I think there’s actually some jealousy. Why do they get a fast, clean, cheap ride when I’m stuck in traffic? Well, for some it’s a matter of necessity: they don’t own or have access to a car. For others, as with train riders, it’s a matter of choice: they prefer the bus for speed and convenience.

So can we please stop shaming bus riders?

Like all of us, they have places to go, so let’s just allow them to ride in peace and harmony.

Posted with permission of Hearst CT Media

About the author: Jim Cameron is founder of The Commuter Action Group, and a member of the Darien RTM. The opinions expressed in this column are only his own. You can reach him at CommuterActionGroup@gmail.com For a full collection of “Talking Transportation” columns, visit www.talkingtransportation.blogspot.com

Filed Under: Community, Lyme, Old Lyme, Talking Transportation, Top Story

See ‘Summer Sculpture Showcase 2019’ in Old Lyme

June 9, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

Sculptor Gil Boro in his studio in Old Lyme.

‘War’ by Craig Frederick is a dramatic work.

Gilbert Boro, owner and curator of the Sculpture Grounds in Old Lyme, Conn., presents Summer Sculpture Showcase 2019: An Exhibit of Intriguing Landscape Sculptures. Featuring 23 works by both well-established, nationally renowned sculptors, as well as fresh promising newcomers, the summer-long show will run through Oct. 26, 2019.

The reception is free and open to the public and includes live music and light refreshments.

Boro, a nationally acclaimed sculptor in his own right, hosts this fifth annual show to provide a venue for both young and mid-career sculptors to showcase their work. This summer’s show is curated by the Sculpture Grounds team that has collaborated for several years to produce dynamic exhibits. Each of the artists chosen, Boro says, “offers original creative thinking resulting in a combination of contrasting conceptual designs in a variety of media.”

Boro has a strong aversion to exhibits that prohibit touching a piece. His Sculpture Grounds not only permit – but encourage – visitors to touch sculptures. “I really think that three-dimensional art should be handled, touched, pushed, and experienced in three dimensions,” he says. The exhibitors for the Summer Showcase embrace this concept.

Artists from Connecticut, the Northeast region, and around the country are represented in the show. Massachusetts sculptor Madeleine Lord scrounges through scrap yards collecting all manner of discarded metal that she then assembles into playful humanoid type sculptures. Her showpiece Core is indicative of her imaginative creativity.

‘Closing the Deal’ by Jerold Ehrlich is one of the featured pieces in the 2019 Summer Sculpture Showcase.

Connecticut-based artist Craig Frederick was chosen for his sculpture “War”. Frederick says creating art “is my way of attempting to understand an increasingly complex world. In a world where order, as we perceive it, is a mere illusion, the work of my art becomes the ability to navigate the churning of many tides.”

‘Core’ by Madeleine Lord

Other participating sculptors include William Evertson, whose works examining our human failings and fragility have been displayed world-wide; the abstract sculpture of Joe Gitterman; and luminous glass sculptor Mundy Hepburn.

‘Can I Live’ by Lyme Academy College recent graduate Alfredo Carlson.

In the spirit of supporting and exhibiting promising new artists, the Summer Showcase will introduce the work of Alfredo Carlson, a 2019 graduate of Lyme Academy of Fine Arts and a native of Haiti. Upon his arrival in America at age 10, Carlson had no previous schooling. He says he never thought he would even make it to high school, let alone college. “I literally started from the bottom,”

Carlson says. “I get asked how it feels be a college graduate. I literally don’t know. I’m still in shock I’ve made it this far.” Carlson says, “I’m honored to be included in such a big show,” which will feature his senior project, “Can I Live?”

‘Stance’ by Michael Thron is an intriguing piece.

Situated halfway between Boston and New York, Summer Sculpture Showcase 2019 is set on Boro’s four-and-a-half acre estate in the heart of Old Lyme’s historic village. The permanent display consists of approximately 100 works strategically placed around the park-like grounds. Now in its 15th year, the Sculpture Grounds host more than 5,000 visitors a year.

Visitors are welcome to bring their own picnic to the patio cafe. The grounds are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, year-round, admission is free, and touching the sculptures is encouraged. For more information, artist’s statements and brief bios, visit www.sculpturegrounds.com.

Filed Under: Arts, Old Lyme, Top Story

Legal News You Can Use: Injured at Work? Should I Make a Worker’s Comp. Claim?

June 5, 2019 by Suisman Shapiro Leave a Comment

Looks safe enough, but injuries can happen anywhere in a work environment.

Sponsored Post from Suisman Shapiro Attorneys-at-Law

Imagine that you’re working at your desk. There are no significant hazards around you. You reach up and pick up a heavy box above you, and you suddenly feel a snap along your shoulder. You’ve been working in the same position for many hours, and combined with the strain of the weight of the box, you’re now struggling with a painful injury.

Situations like yours aren’t uncommon. It’s actually relatively common for accidents to happen on the job with little that can be done to prevent them. Whether it’s because of repetitive motions, picking up something too heavy or other causes, injuries can happen in an instant.

When they do, you need to know what to do next. No matter what kind of injury you suffer, your employer should help you file a claim with the workers’ compensation insurance carrier. If your injury is extremely painful, a coworker can take you to the hospital, or your employer can call for an ambulance.

It’s important that you receive care right away so that you can prevent the injury from worsening.

What information should you keep from the hospital visit?

Keep every piece of paperwork you receive. You should also inform the medical provider that this is a work-related injury so that they can give you copies of the correct documents for your employer.

If you are hurt on the job in any way, workers’ compensation should be there to protect you and pay for your medical care. Don’t delay in telling someone if you get hurt so you can get care quickly.

The Suisman Shapiro website has more information on the compensation and benefits you may receive after a work injury.

Filed Under: Business, Legal, Lyme, Old Lyme, Top Story

Two Lyme-Old Lyme Organizations Combine Their Talents to Build a Beautiful Butterfly Garden

June 3, 2019 by Olwen Logan Leave a Comment

Duck River Garden Club member Fay Wilkman digs deep during Saturday’s event with the Lyme-Old Lyme Junior Women’s Club to plant a butterfly garden at the Cross Lane Playground. Meanwhile, Old Lyme Selectwoman Mary Jo Nosal (standing to rear of photo) takes a break from her digging. Photo by Kimberly Russell Thompson.

A wonderful example of community cooperation took place in Old Lyme last Saturday, which generated not only a great deal of fun and camaraderie at the time, but also a beautiful garden for the future.

It all began with the Lyme-Old Lyme Junior Women’s Club (LOLJWC)’s multi-year campaign to raise funds for new playground equipment at Cross Lane Park, which came to fruition with the official opening of the playground in April 2018. During the campaign, the Club received a generous sum, to which the donor attached two requests. The first was that it should remain anonymous and the second that it be used to create a butterfly garden at the renovated playground as a memorial.

Due to the timing of the playground’s installation, it was not possible to plant the butterfly garden last year but this year everything came together.

Sarah Michaelson plants more perennial pollinator bushes. Photo by Suzanne Thompson.

Petie Reed, owner of Perennial Harmony Garden and Landscape in East Lyme, who is a member of both the LOLJWC and the Duck River Garden Club (DRGC), proposed that the LOLJWC should share development of the project with the DRGC and the DRGC enthusiastically embraced the idea. Reed was assisted throughout the project by her partner, Rich Oliver.

Reed worked with numerous members of both organizations including Suzanne Thompson of the DRGC and Anna Reiter, outgoing LOLJWC President. The group designed it to be a wildlife garden of native plants well-suited for the shaded, boggy terrain. The selection of native shrubs and perennials includes aromatic sumacs, viburnum, huchera, black-eyed susans and baptisia will support many pollinator insects and birds.

Reiter explained that during design discussions, Reed, “suggested we allow for a more community feel to the garden, by allowing families to “adopt” a garden plot.” Reiter continued, “For a nominal fee, we supplied some specific native plants that will encourage local wildlife and pollinators for each of the community garden plots, and families were encouraged to bring their own non-invasive plants for their plot.”

From left to right, Kay Reiter stands with long-time DRGC member Mim Beardsley, incoming LOLJWC President Kim Russell Thompson, and Izzy Thompson. Photo by Suzanne Thompson.

The finishing touch was that the LOLJWC also supplied a ceramic garden stake, which families can take to Ocean Art Studio in Old Saybrook to customize and then place in their garden.

Reiter noted there are still some plots available for purchase, emphasizing that the owner families and LOLJWC members will be watering the gardens throughout the summer to get them established. Once settled in, these native plants will need minimal watering and will continue to spread and naturalize the area around the playground.

A large group of DRGC and LOLJWC members of all ages along with spouses, children, relatives and friends turned out Saturday to spend the morning cheerfully planting and watering. Fay Wilkman and Mim Beardsley, both members of the DRGC, also assisted with the installation, and incoming LOLJWC President Kimberly Russell Thompson summed up the universal feeling at the end of the successful event when she said simply, “It was a very fun day!”

Fun and flowers … and smiles! An LOLJWC member and her daughter (in foreground) and incoming LOLJWC Vice President Angela Mock and her daughter Ally all take a well-earned break from their labors. Photo by Suzanne Thompson.

Looking to the future, Reiter commented, “Petie and I hope these beds also will provide inspiration and ideas to families who want to plant more native flowers and shrubs in their own yards,” while Thompson added, “Next steps are to seek grant funding so we can put up educational signs in the beds, to identify the plants and their benefits to wildlife.”

After expressing sincere thanks to the anonymous donor and all those who had made creation of the butterfly garden a reality, Reiter concluded positively, “We are hoping the community will walk through the gardens and enjoy the beauty of the park and the wildlife — this was a very special gift!”

Editor’s Note: Garden plots are still available for purchase at $30 each. The purchaser must agree to tend and water their garden throughout this season. A rain barrel and water cans are available to make watering fun and easy. If you wish to purchase a plot, visit the LOLJWC website at www.loljwc.com or email Anna Reiter at loljrwomencub@gmail.com. There is a link to purchase a plot on the website.

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

Letter From Paris: Seeing “Red” at the Grand Palais

June 2, 2019 by Nicole Prévost Logan Leave a Comment

Nicole Prévost Logan

The year 1917 in Russia marked a unique moment of history when art and revolution fused together into a mutual source of inspiration. The creativity and energy fed on each other for a short few years, to eventually vanish under the brutal repression and purges of Stalin to become an official and bland art form called “Socialist Realism.”

The exhibit “Red – Art and Utopia in the Soviet Country” at the Grand Palais, Paris, in the spring of 2019 is breaking new ground in describing that unique moment.

All forms of arts were impacted by the October Revolution, from the visual arts to architecture, theater, cinema, music and, of course, literature. In addition to major artists, already well known before World War I, such as Malevich, the Bolchevik government did welcome all talented artists eager to experiment with new art forms.

Mayakovsky (1893-1930) was the voice of the Revolution – a giant with a booming voice, who galvanized the crowds when he read his poetry. His emblematic play, the “Bedbug,” is a satire of the NEP (New Economic Policy.) A young man of that period is frozen and found himself in a perfect communist world 50 years later where there was no drunkenness nor swearing.

He decided he was not made for the future. As a journalist, Mayakovsky used simple street language. A gifted artist, he drew satirical cartoons, making fun of the “petty bourgeoisie.” One of the main metro stations in central Moscow was named after him. He shot himself in 1930 at the age of 37.

Malevich (1878-1935), a major artist of the 20th century, was inspired until 1914, by Gauguin, Matisse and Cezanne, and then moved to abstraction and geometric forms until he reached his extreme “White on White” in 1918. He was the theoretician of art par excellence.

His book “From Cubism to Suprematism in Art …” is considered one of the most important reference works of the 20th century. Toward the end of his life he was forced to reintroduce figurative characters into his paintings. He never left the Soviet Union where he died of cancer in 1935.

Tatlin (1885-1953) was associated with the concept of “constructivism,” based on the use of materials, the exploitation of movement and tension in matter. He aimed at the harmonization of artistic form with utilitarian goals.

Artists’ association multiplied at that time. AKhRR (Association of Russian Artists of Revolutionary Russia) was founded in 1922. Vkhutemas (higher Institutes of art and technique) were created as early as 1920 all over the country. Both Malevich and Tatlin occupied important positions in those institutions .

Vsevolod Mayerhold, (1874-1940) following in the footsteps of Stanislavsky (master of the stage in the 19th century – particularly Chekhov plays), revolutionized theatrical techniques, suppressed settings and replaced them by “constructivist” space, trained the actors according to a new system of “bio-mechanic” and how to form human pyramids. His stage production of Mayakovsky’s “Bed Bug” is emblematic of the Soviet era.

Rodchenko (1891-1956) was the leading innovator of the 1917 revolution-inspired art. He wanted to bring art down from its pedestal. He stood against estheticism and “art for art” and made art the champion of productivity. He created a new artistic language by experimenting with photography, using photo-montage, double exposures, and unexpected angles. He gloried the machine in a factory or objects of daily life rather than still life motives in traditional art.

Among this group of brilliant artists were two women – Lioubov Popova, (1889-1924), who died of scarlet fever, and Varvara Stepanova (1894-1958i), Rodchenko’s wife.

A poster by Gustav Klutsis.

Posters became a new art form used as the most important tool of propaganda. They were intended to make a strong and immediate impact on the viewer. Using a graphic art medium with calligraphy and geometric designs, they carried a simple message. The color red was used extensively (it is interesting to note that, in Russian, “red” and “beautiful” are the same word.)

Oversize paintings like “Bolchevik” by Kustodiev are easy to understand. A giant man walks through dwarfed city landscape with churches, holding a huge red banner. The messages of the October revolution were spread throughout the country in the “agit-prop trains” to educate the masses. Some figures are impressive: in 1917 the literacy of the population was 25 percent whereas by 1939, it had risen to 81 percent.

Gustav Klutsis (1895-1935), born in Latvia, was also one of the best at using photo-montage and posters . He wrote: “Put color, slogan at the service of class war.” Klutsis was arrested and shot in 1938.

Sergei Eisenstein (1898-1948) – a pioneer of the cinema – created his own style characterized by melodramatic acting, close-up shots and theatrical editing. A sequence of “Battlefield Potemkin” has become an absolute classic: during an attack by the Cossacks against Odessa civilians, a baby carriage falls all the way down the long steps.

Eisenstein ‘s mob scenes are so realistic (such as the storming of the Winter Palace in St Petersburg) that they are often mistaken for newsreels in documentaries.

Architecture played a crucial role in bringing about utopia of the proletariat. Plans for grand buildings, squares and majestic avenues are intended to impress the masses, who are more important than the individuals. Still standing today is the workers’ club Roussatov designed by Melnikov.

Roussakov Workers’ Club designed by Melnikov, 1927-28.

After the death of Lenin in 1924, power became concentrated in the hands of Stalin, who tightened his control over artists. In 1932 all artistic associations were suppressed — artists were forced to join the official Union.

The creative, innovative productions had to bend and conform to rules of the new doctrine of Socialist Realism formulated by Andrei Zhdanov in a speech to the Writer’s Union in 1934. In art, it can be defined as representation of the bright future of communism through the representation of idealized workers in healthy bodies.

Therefore, at the 1937 Universal Fair held in Paris, a double statue of a vigorous factory worker and a strong woman kolkhoz farmer stood on top of the Soviet building.

Most representative of this period was Alexander Deïneka, who painted naked, young factory workers taking a break on the beach in the Donbass or Lenin riding in an open sports car through bucolic countryside with several blonde children.

Somehow out of place in 1937 is a delightful painting by Yuri Pimenov called, “The New Moscow.” A young woman is driving a convertible car on one of the main thoroughfares of central Moscow. The style is very much in the Impressionist style.

Already in the 1990s, the Tretiakov Gallery of Moscow held exhibits on the 1920s and 1930s Soviet art. At that time, the Soviet posters were readily available in the book stores of the Arbat pedestrian street.

Although a large part of the exhibited works included in the “Red” exhibit come from the permanent collection of the Centre Pompidou, Paris, it is interesting to note that in the 1979 Paris-Moscow exhibit organized by that same museum, Soviet art was barely mentioned.

Editor’s Note: This is the opinion of Nicole Prévost Logan.

Nicole Prévost Logan

About the author: Nicole Prévost Logan divides her time between Essex and Paris, spending summers in the former and winters in the latter. She writes a regular column for us from her Paris home where her topics will include politics, economy, social unrest — mostly in France — but also in other European countries. She also covers a variety of art exhibits and the performing arts in Europe. Logan is the author of ‘Forever on the Road: A Franco-American Family’s Thirty Years in the Foreign Service,’ an autobiography of her life as the wife of an overseas diplomat, who lived in 10 foreign countries on three continents. Her experiences during her foreign service life included being in Lebanon when civil war erupted, excavating a medieval city in Moscow and spending a week under house arrest in Guinea.

Filed Under: Essex, Letter from Paris, Top Story

Death of Milton N. Allen of Old Lyme Announced

June 2, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

The death of Milton N. Allen, of Old Lyme, has been announced. Mr. Allen passed away May 29, 2019, at Essex Meadows.

A Memorial Service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019, at the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme, 2 Ferry Rd., Old Lyme, CT 06371.

A full obituary will be published in the coming days.

Filed Under: Obituaries, Old Lyme, Top Story

Gainor Davis Appointed to Lead Connecticut River Museum in Essex, Starting July 1

May 31, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

Gainor B. Davis, New Executive Director at the Connecticut River Museum in Essex, Conn.

The Connecticut River Museum, on the waterfront in Essex, Conn., has announced the selection of Gainor Davis as the new Executive Director. Chosen after a nationwide search, Ms. Davis will assume the duties of Executive Director on July 10, 2019.

Davis currently serves as the Executive Director of the Historical Society of Carroll County in Westminster, Md., a museum which she has led since January 2015. She is an experienced museum executive, having previously led several important institutions, including serving as the President/CEO of the Western Reserve Historical Society in Cleveland, Ohio, for six years; as President/CEO of the York (Pa.) County Heritage Trust; as Director of the Vermont Historical Society in Montpelier and Barre, Vt.; and as Executive Director of Longue Vue House & Gardens in New Orleans, La.

Davis has established a reputation of achieving financial stability for her institutions, along with overseeing up-to-date, audience-oriented, relevant programming that has attracted new audiences. Her accomplishments include overseeing the creation of three new hands-on spaces at three different museums – experience that uniquely qualifies her to create and open the Connecticut River Museum’s planned new River Discovery Center on its campus.

Davis brings a strong background in fundraising and marketing, and she has led two successful multi-million-dollar capital campaigns. Prior to her museum-director positions, her fundraising career included posts at Temple University in Philadelphia as Director of Development & Alumni Affairs for the College of Arts and Sciences; at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia as Associate Director of Corporate & Foundation Relations; at the Strong Museum in Rochester, N.Y., as Deputy Director for Public Affairs, and at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia as Director of Development and then as Associate Director of Administration.

Davis holds a Ph.D. in American History from Temple University in Philadelphia, an M.A. in American History and Certificate in Museum Studies from the University of Delaware, Newark, Del., and an A.B. in History from Smith College in Northampton, Mass. She has also published and lectured widely.

She stated, “I am very excited about the role that the museum can play in serving both the Essex-area community and the larger Connecticut River region north of the museum, extending into Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hampshire. I look forward to partnering with local and regional organizations to serve new communities. I am delighted to move back to New England and to the Essex region, where I have many ties, and to become part of the community” Davis added, “It is an honor to be invited to join the capable staff at the CRM and to work with such a committed Board.”

Peter Coombs, who chaired the Search Committee as well as chairing the museum’s board, said, “Gainor Davis was selected after a rigorous national search, with a unanimous decision of the Search Committee and the unanimous approval of the Board. We were impressed with Gainor’s accomplishments over a distinguished career as a history-museum director and advancement professional.”

Davis will take the reins from Interim Director Tom Wilcox, who is leading the museum through the transition period. Previous director Christopher Dobbs announced last August that he had accepted an offer to lead the larger Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, Mont., triggering the nationwide search.

The Search Committee was chaired by Board Chair Peter Coombs and co-chaired by Alison Brinkman. It included board and community members Tom Klin, Joanne Masin, Brenda Milkofsky and Tom Wilcox. For the national search, the Connecticut River Museum retained Marilyn Hoffman and Scott Stevens of Museum Search & Reference, an executive-search firm located in Manchester, NH and Boston that specializes in placing museum leaders.

Founded in 1974, the Connecticut River Museum has developed as a place where anyone interested in topics about the River can come and be inspired through exhibitions and collections, a library, educational opportunities and public programs. The mission is to lead in the study, preservation and celebration of the cultural and natural heritage of the Connecticut River and its valley.

Since 1986, it has been accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, a mark of distinction in the field. The Connecticut River Museum’s campus includes the preserved 1878 Essex Steamboat Dock and Warehouse, which was saved from demolition, the Hayden Chandlery, which now serves as the Thomas A. Stevens Library, and the historic 1732 Samuel Lay House.

Education is central to the museum’s mission, and public programs include workshops for school-age children, adult lectures, and on-water excursions aboard the recreation of Adriaen Block’s Onrust and RiverQuest as part of its popular eagle watches. Annually, the museum serves more than 20,000 general visitors, delivers programing to 4,000 school children, and provides scholarship support to a further 1,000 underserved school children and summer campers.

The museum is located on the Essex waterfront at 67 Main Street and is a membership-supported educational organization. Membership is open to all.

For more information regarding the Museum, call 860-767-8269 or see www.ctrivermuseum.org.

Filed Under: Community, Essex, Top Story

Death of Paul Nelson Announced

May 29, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

Paul Howard Nelson, 1933-2019

Paul Howard Nelson, Navy flight navigator, salesman, business leader, photographer, author, and lecturer passed away on May 24th at the age of 86 in Old Lyme, CT. He was surrounded by his children and his companion.

He began his career in 1953 by enlisting in the Navy where he served on the aircraft carrier the USS Coral Sea during the Korean War. In 1957, he graduated from St. John’s University with a BA in Liberal Arts. For over four decades he worked his way up in textile sales. At J.P. Stevens, he started as a sales associate and rose to become the head of institutional sales. He later ran The Bibb Company, before becoming a textile broker, working with global textile giants such as Frette. He was a true salesman who became a great manager. He authored several textbooks on management for his industry. Throughout his life, he maintained a love for aviation and photography. He combined the two by shooting cover photos for aviation magazines.

After retirement, he turned his focus to a longtime hobby, Ragtime and Jazz music. He lectured extensively on the historical and cultural significance of this music.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, Mr. Nelson grew up in Far Rockaway, Queens, attending St. Francis De Sales primary school and then St. John’s Preparatory School.

Mr. Nelson believed in family first, specifically children first. He was predeceased by his loving wife of 48 years, Maureen T. Nelson (Gilbride). He is survived by four children Gina Wilcox (Brady) of Old Lyme, CT; Laura Nelson (Jim Kremens) of Westport, CT; Paul F. Nelson (Julie) of Wilmette, IL; and Andrew Nelson (Meghan) of Cincinnati, OH as well as his brother Peter Nelson of Far Rockaway, Queens. A self-described “Indoor Grandpa,” he is also survived by eight adoring grandchildren; Charles Kremens, Sarah Nelson, Mary Nelson, Annabelle Kremens, Daphne Nelson, Ava Gray Wilcox, Tess Nelson, and John Nelson. Finally, he was honored to be the loving companion to Irene Stella.

A wake will be held at Christ the King Church in Old Lyme, CT on Friday, May 31 between 5 – 7 pm. A mass of Christian burial will be held the following day on Saturday, June 1st at 2 pm in the same location.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to The Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme, CT or the Yale Cancer Center/Smilow Cancer Hospital “Closer to Free” fund in New Haven, CT.

Filed Under: Obituaries, Old Lyme, Top Story

Everyone Loves a Parade! Memories of Memorial Day 2019

May 28, 2019 by Admin 1 Comment

Quietly sitting behind a stash of Memorial Day flags, this baby patiently waits for the parade to begin.

It was a perfect day for a parade on Monday in Old Lyme and our wonderful town hosted yet another parade filled not only with mirth and merriment, but also pride and patriotism.

Huge thanks to our fantastic photographers, Troy Clark, Michele Dickey, and Mary Jo Nosal.

The Lyme-Old Lyme High School band, under the direction of Mr. Jay Wilson, leads off the parade.

VFW members march into view soon after …

… followed by Old Lyme’s First Selectwoman Bonnie Reemsnyder (front left), Selectwoman Mary Jo Nosal, Selectman Chris Kerr (back right) and State Representative Devin Carney (R-23rd), who acknowledge the cheering crowd.

The three winners of the fifth-grade essay contest, “What Memorial Day Means to Me” ride proudly in the parade. It’s said that one of the best perks of winning the contest is to ride in that red convertible toward the front of the parade! The winners are, from left to right: Silver Medalist Jonathan Farrell, Gold-Medal Winner Carter McGinchy, and Second Runner Up Carlson St. Louis. All attend Lyme Consolidated School.

For perhaps the first time in the parade, a pull-toy bunny chases after a people-powered red wagon. Will it ever catch up?

Another parade first? Members of the Shoreline Roller Derby—an all-female roller-skating league from Groton (think the former Melody Skating Rink)–dazzled spectators while handing out fliers.

The Nightingales Precision Ukulele Band also incorporated a few kazoos …

Members of the Old Lyme Historical Society look resplendent in a horse-drawn wagon.

The Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School Band, directed by Ms. Carrie Wind, performed without music during the parade’s return trip as well!

Pearl Harbor survivor Floyd Welch is a reminder of the real meaning of the holiday.

Lyme-Old Lyme High School’s Techno-Ticks demonstrated a device all along the parade route that tossed baseball-sized beach balls into the crowds lining the route. Some who caught the balls returned them, while others kept them as souvenirs.

The Deep River Fife & Drum Corps play their hearts out …

… while one of Old Lyme Fire Department’s trucks, filled with excited children, follows it down the parade route.

The New London Firefighters Pipes & Drums bring the spirit of Scotland to the parade, and …

… members of the Old Lyme Fire Department (OLFD) look splendid in red and black.

This OLFD member carries flowers into the cemetery …

… to join fellow OLFD members standing in line ready for the cemetery service to begin.

State Senator Paul Formica (R) helps Pearl Harbor survivor Floyd R. Welch from his car …

Mr. Welch makes his way to the service, assisted by Senator Formica and a second gentleman.

Old Lyme Fire Department Chaplain Mervyn Roberts, assisted by two members of the OLFD, heads towards the American Legion tent for VIP guests at the service.

Chaplain Roberts gives his traditional speech at the service.

Commander William Appleby (in sunglasses) looks on attentively while Chaplain Roberts speaks.

Old Lyme First Selectwoman Bonnie Reemsnyder (D) stands with Old Lyme Selectman Chris Kerr (R), State Representative Devin Carney (R-23rd) and State Senator Paul Formica (R-20th)

Chaplain Roberts (second from left) sits with the three essay winners on the front row of the American Legion tent.

What a grand day with so many memories!

Filed Under: Community, Old Lyme, Top Story

Lost Dog in Lyme

May 25, 2019 by Admin 1 Comment

This beautiful dog, Dexter, is missing.

Dexter, a 10-year-old dark brown (with white spots) German Shorthaired Pointer mix, has been missing since Thursday afternoon. Dexter is generally friendly, but he may be frightened and disoriented at this point. He was last seen near Hamburg Cove on Wednesday, 5/22/19, and was wearing a collar with nametags and rabies vaccination tag. He also has a microchip.

If you have any information, call Richard Gordon at 617-549-2776 or Andrew Barker at 617-669-7195.

Filed Under: Lyme, Top Story