Lyme

Tickets on Sale for Gillette Castle State Park’s 100th Anniversary ‘Speakeasy Gala,’ Sept. 7

August 23, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

Visit with William Gillette as portrayed by Harold Niver at the ‘Speakeasy Gala,’ Sept. 7.

HADLYME — The Friends of Gillette Castle State Park are hosting a 100th Anniversary Roaring 20’s-themed ‘Speakeasy Gala’ at Gillette Castle, Saturday Sept. 7, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the completion of Gillette Castle’s construction.

Gillette Castle, where the Speakeasy Gala will be held Sept. 7.

The event will be held at the castle and its grounds located at 67 River Rd., East Haddam and run from 5 to 9:30 p.m. Guests can stop by a “Speakeasy” for a wine tasting, courtesy of Staehly Farm & Winery. Afterwards, they can head up to the castle, which will be open for self-guided tours. Castle staff will be available to answer questions and give demonstrations.

While up at the castle, guests will be able to enjoy the musical stylings of flutist, Erin Vivero.

Back at the gala tent, they will toast the castle in celebration of its 100th year and enjoy high-end appetizers and hors d’oeuvres along with special Roaring 20’s themed cocktails.

Guests can then dance the night away to the music of the Screamin’ Eagles Jazz Band. During the evening, a silent auction will take place with many great items.

Participants will also have the opportunity to meet William and Helen Gillette portrayed by Harold and Theodora Niver. Photography services for the event will be provided by Cherish the Moment Photography.

The details of the program are subject to change in the event of inclement weather. Wear your best Roaring 20’s costume, but plan to walk uneven ground between the parking lot and castle.

Tickets are $100 each and can be purchased at https://www.gillettecastlefriends.org/event-registration-speakeasy-gala. Space is limited.

This milestone event is made possible with help from sponsors: Cherish the Moment Photography, Dutch Oil Co. Inc., Eastern Rental, Erin Vivero-Flute, Hadlyme Country Market, Northeast Printing Network LLC, Quicksilver Communication, Screamin’ Eagles Jazz Band, and Staehly Farm and Winery.

Sponsorships are still available. Contact the Friends for details.

All proceeds from this event benefit The Friends of Gillette Castle State Park.

The Friends of Gillette Castle State Park is a nonprofit, all-volunteer organization founded in 1998 that is dedicated to preserving the castle’s heritage. Membership information for the Friends of Gillette State Park will be available at the event.

For more information on the Friends of Gillette Castle, visit their website. Call Paul or Wendy at 860-222-7850 or email info@gillettecastlefriends.org with questions.

Filed Under: Lyme, Top Story

In Case You Forgot, it’s Sales Tax-Free Week in CT Through Tomorrow!

August 23, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

It’s Sales Tax-Free Week in Connecticut Aug. 17-24. Photo by Charles 🇵🇭 on Unsplash

Just a quick reminder that it’s Sales Tax-Free Week in Connecticut this week through Saturday, Aug. 24.

Clothing and shoes valued at $100 or less are exempted from sales tax with only specific types of clothing such as sports uniforms and shoes (e.g., cleats and specialty boots) still at full cost. Details of exempted items are at this link.

It’s estimated Connecticut shoppers will save a collective $4.9 million during this week.

For more information on Sales Tax-Free Week, visit this link.

Filed Under: Lyme, Old Lyme, Top Story

Kinship & Respite Fund Grants Available to Help Guardians With School Expenses

August 21, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

Saybrook Probate Judge Jeannine Lewis

LYME — With adults already thinking back-to-school, District of Saybrook Probate Judge Jeannine Lewis reminds court-appointed guardians to apply for grants for school supplies. The State of Connecticut Saybrook District Court includes the Town of Lyme along with the Towns of Chester, Clinton, Deep River, Essex, Haddam, Killingworth, Old Saybrook and Westbrook.

Probate Courts have been awarding grants from the state Kinship Fund and Respite Fund to court-appointed guardians for more than a decade. As of last October, eligibility for the grants was expanded beyond relatives serving as guardians to all those appointed by the Probate Courts who meet low-income guidelines.

A guardianship case typically arises in the Saybrook District Probate Court when parents are unable to care for their children due to mental illness, substance abuse or incarceration. In most cases, Probate Courts appoint a grandparent or other relative to care for the children. In some cases, courts appoint a close family friend, who has a long-standing relationship with the child. While foster parents receive funds from the state, court-appointed guardians do not; guardians who meet eligibility requirements can receive some assistance through the Kinship and Respite Fund grants.

“Grandparents, aunts and uncles, and neighbors, who keep children in their familiar environments instead of going to foster care, offer an enhanced quality of life to the children in their care and simultaneously save the state tens of millions of dollars. In many cases, the guardians don’t really have extra money to spend on a child’s basic needs,” said Judge Lewis. “Kinship and Respite Grants are there to help bridge the gap and make a huge difference to the households who apply for, and receive them.”

The Kinship Fund assists guardians in paying for necessities such as school supplies, clothing, eyeglasses, school trips and sports fees. Often such expenses are paid directly to the providers. Kinship grants are capped at $500 per child or $2000 per family per year.

The Respite Fund helps guardians with the cost of child care, housing, transportation and food. These grants are capped at $2000 per year.

Guardians who meet income requirements can apply to both funds. Previous recipients must reapply to receive funds each year. Applications are posted at ctprobate.gov under the Children’s Matters tab.

Filed Under: Lyme, News

Death of Mariette Elizabeth Hogan Announced, Mother of WFSB News Anchor Kevin Hogan

August 18, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

Mariette Gauvin Hogan 1926-2019

Mariette Elizabeth Hogan

Our Mom lived her 93 years of life with faith in GOD and for her loving family. She died suddenly the morning of Thursday, August 15, 2019 at home on the Feast of the Assumption. Her energy and enthusiasm never wavered.

Born in Quebec and raised in Hamden, Mariette graduated from Hamden High and worked for a New Haven Insurance company prior to meeting Army Veteran, Dan Hogan. They married on May 28, 1949 in Hamden and celebrated their 70th anniversary together this spring along with her four boys and their families.

While Mariette was a mother, aunt, grandmother and great grandmother to her family for 48 years, she was also known to hundreds of students and faculty at Assumption School in Ansonia as Mrs. Hogan, the school’s first secretary. She enjoyed life and volunteering; Assumption Church, Cub Scout Pack 19 Den mother, The Red Hat Society, Dancing lessons with Dad, Cruises to Alaska, The Caribbean and day trips.

Mom worked hard at making her home welcoming to family and friends whether creating a full Thanksgiving/Christmas dinner or just cheese and crackers. If you popped in unannounced she would be the first to offer cookies in the cookie jar.

As we begin to celebrate her long life and contributions to everyone she encountered, we know she is reunited now with her parents, Ernest and Marguerite Gauvin; brothers, Lucien and Raymond Gauvin and other loved ones.

Mariette leaves behind her beloved Dan; sons, David (Pat), Mark, John, and Kevin; grandchildren, David (Danielle), Stephen (Danielle), Shawn, Christopher, Carina, Ryan (Danielle), Meredith, Taylor, and Connor Hogan; great grandchildren; Michaela, David, Ava, Devyn, Brooklyn Hogan, and Anja Czaja; and sister, Jeannine Gauvin Saller (Bill), as well as nieces and nephews.

A Wake to celebrate Mariette’s life will take place Monday, August 19, 2019, from 4:00 to 7:00 pm at the Wakelee Memorial Funeral Home, 167 Wakelee Avenue, Ansonia. A Mass of Christian Burial (Meeting Directly at Church) will be held on Tuesday, August 20, 2019, 10:00 am in the Church of the Assumption, 61 North Cliff Street Ansonia. Interment will follow in All Saints Cemetery, North Haven.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Assumption School, Ansonia. Online condolences may be made at www.wakeleememorial.com.

To send flowers to the family of Mariette Hogan, please visit Tribute Store

Filed Under: Lyme, News, Obituaries

Enjoy a Pie & Ice Cream Social This Evening at Lyme Public Hall

August 18, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

LYME — An old-fashioned Pie and Ice Cream Social will be held at the newly air-conditioned Lyme Public Hall on Sunday, Aug. 18 from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Home-made pies of all kinds will be available for enjoyment. The cost per person is $5, with children age 6 and under free.

Pies will also be available for sale while they last. Entertainment will be provided by the Eight Mile River Band.

This event is sponsored by the Lyme Public Hall & Local History Archives, Inc.

It is a throwback to the early 20th century, when the Hall sponsored many such gatherings for the community.

The Lyme Public Hall is located at 249 Hamburg Rd. (Rte. 156) in Lyme, Conn. For more information, visit www.lymepublichall.org

The Lyme Public Hall & Local History Archives, Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to the appreciation of Lyme’s history, culture, and community through the preservation and use of the historic hall, its archives and historical programs.

Filed Under: Lyme

Today is Last Day of Lyme’s ‘Hamburg Fair’; Enjoy Traditional Favorites, Top Local Musicians, Food & Fun

August 18, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

All the fun of the Hamburg Fair ends today, Sunday, Aug. 16, at 6 p.m.

LYME, CT — Milestone Midway Carnival rides, kids games, food concessions, oxen-pull, arts and crafts, and top local musicians are among the favorite attractions for visitors attending the annual Hamburg Fair, now celebrating its 118th year. Hosted by The Lyme Grange, the fair takes place rain or shine Friday, Aug. 16, from 5 to 10:30 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 17, from 9 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 18, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 1 Sterling City Road, Lyme, Conn. (located at the intersection of Rte. 156 and across from Reynolds’ Subaru).

General admission to the fair is $7 per person, children up to age 12 are free. Senior Citizens and Active Service men and women receive a reduced rate of $5 per person (ID required). Tickets are available for purchase at the entrance and $5 parking is offered on and nearby the site.

The three-day family friendly fair showcases many agricultural fair traditions including entries and exhibits for flowers, photography, crafts, quilts, fruits, vegetables and more. The intimate size of the fair makes for easy navigation, parking and crowd control.

Llamas are to love … at the Hamburg Fair!

Young fairgoers will enjoy children’s games offered on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., which will include a watermelon eating contest, face-painting, a three-legged race and prize-winning contests. Visitors are invited to watch the traditional horse pull on Saturday at 10 a.m., 4 p.m. and a new three-horse pull at 8 p.m. The oxen pulls will take place throughout the day on Sunday, beginning at 9 a.m.

Free on-stage music talent and entertainment has become part of the Hamburg Fair tradition. From country to rock, fiddlers to funk, there is something for everyone who enjoys live music.

The fair kicks off Friday evening music with performances in the amphitheater from country music favorites Charlie Marie and Nashville Drive.

See many local young artists hosted by Music Now and Nightingale’s Showcase on Saturday afternoon followed by A Completely Different Note – an a capella singing group from UConn featuring Braiden Sunshine, who will warm the stage up for Chris MacKay and the Toneshifters Saturday evening.

Sunday afternoon opens with something new – The Pickin’ Party, an all-inclusive musical experience where participants play and sing together as a group led by Ramblin’ Dan Stevens concluding with the traditional Bristol Old Time Fiddlers.

Rides are always a major attraction at the Fair.

The full musical entertainment line-up is as follows:

Friday

6:00-8:00pm: Charlie Marie – Country Music Duo
8:30-10:30pm: Nashville Drive – Rockin’ Modern Country Band

The ferris wheel at Hamburg Fair is always a popular attraction.

Saturday

1:00pm -5:45pm: Music Now/Nightingale’s Showcase – Up and coming local talent
- 1:00-1:20 Michael DeGaetano
- 1:25-1:45 Emily May
- 1:50-2:20 Jess Kegley
- 2:25-2:55 Chris Gregor
- 3:00-3:30 Drew Cathcart
- 3:40-4:15 Shook
- 4:20-4:55 Sophia and Addie
- 5:05-5:45 Whiskey and Aspirin
6:00-7:00pm: A Completely Different Note – Acapella singing group from UConn featuring Braiden Sunshine
7:30- 9:30pm: Chris MacKay and the Toneshifters – upbeat eclectic mix of rockabilly, swing and blues

Sunday

1:00-3:00pm: The Pickin’ Party – an all-inclusive musical experience where participants play and sing together as a group led by Ramblin’ Dan Stevens
3:00-6:00pm: Bristol Old Time Fiddlers

Highlighted Sponsors of the Hamburg Fair include Reynolds’ Subaru, Hamilton Point Investments, GeoMatrix, Maddy Mattson Coldwell Banker Bank, Benedetto Heating & AC LLC, Bogaert Construction, Guilford Savings Bank, Middlesex Health, LymeLine.com, Lyme Public Hall Association, Block Design Build, Sapia Builders, Allyson Cotton William Pitt/Sotheby’s, and New England Power Equipment.

Visit www.hamburgfair.org for fair schedule, exhibit entry, and more information.

The 118th Hamburg Fair is hosted by Lyme Grange #147 and organized by many local volunteers to build community relationships and create lasting family memories. Money raised from the event proceeds are used to fund the Grange Association, Lyme Fire Association and Lyme Ambulance Association.

Filed Under: Lyme

Reading Uncertainly? ‘Identity’ by Francis Fukuyama

August 17, 2019 by Felix Kloman Leave a Comment

Stanford University’s Francis Fukuyama always challenges our minds. From his The End of History and the Last Man, addressing our futures after the end of the Cold War (1992), and continuing with The Origins of Political Order (2011) and Political Order and Political Decay (2014), two monster 600+ page tomes, his newest, and briefest (a slim 183 pager!) is Identity.

Who on earth are we? Fukuyama sees we humans as trying to manage, simultaneously, two conflicting pressures. The first is “isothymia,” — “the demand to be respected on an equal basis with all other people,” and “megalothymia” — “the desire to be recognized as superior.” This disparity has “historically existed in all societies; it cannot be overcome; it can only be channeled or moderated.”

He continues: “Contemporary identity politics is driven by the quest for equal recognition by groups that have been marginalized by their societies. But that desire for equal recognition can easily slide over into a demand for recognition of the group’s superiority.”

His themes are thymos (the third part of the soul), recognition, dignity, identity, immigration, nationalism, religion and culture. He calls on many earlier observers: Socrates, Luther, Rousseau, Kant, Hegel, Hobbes, Locke, Mill, Nietzsche, Herder, Adam Smith, Sartre, Freud, and Kahneman, arguing that the demand for dignity, “should somehow disappear is neither possible nor desirable.” Resentment at indignities remains a powerful force, a “craving for recognition” we must learn to understand and balance.

National identities are “critical for the maintenance of a successful political order.” They begin with a “shared belief in the legitimacy of the country’s political system, whether that system is democratic or not.” They include physical security, quality of government, economic development, “a wider radius of trust,” and strong social safety nets, all of which eventually make possible “liberal democracy itself.”

His chapter on religion and nationalism is particularly challenging. Can people who share a particular culture and language be subsumed into a global belief system (Hinduism; Buddhism; Communism; Islam; Christianity)? Probably not, but these systems continue to try. The advent of social media makes “identity” now the property of groups, not individuals.

Fukuyama cannot resist a comment of Trump, a “political figure who almost perfectly describes … narcissism: narcissism led Trump into politics, but a politics driven less by public purposes than his own inner need for public affirmation.” And “Trump (is) the perfect practitioner of the ethics of authenticity that defines our age: he may be mendacious, malicious, bigoted, and un-presidential, but at least he says what he thinks.”

“What is to be done?” he asks. One, ”confusion over identity” is a “condition of living in the modern age.” Two, a “pan-European identity may someday emerge.” Three, “education is the critical ingredient”, but it must include a process of universal not parochial values, economic mobility, interdependence, and a growing exposure to other humans and their customs.

We humans seem to be simultaneously breaking down walls and building new ones!

Editor’s Note: ‘Identity’ by Francis Fukuyama was published by Farrar, Strauss and Giroux, New York 2018

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: Lyme, Reading Uncertainly, Top Story

Old Lyme’s Suzanne Thompson Discusses Shared Solar on her WLIS/WMRD Radio Show, Listen Anytime

August 17, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

Suzanne Thompson’s guest this week on her CT Outdoors radio show is David Desiderato, Connecticut Fund for the Environment’s Shared Solar Coordinator.

OLD LYME — What is Shared Solar and did you know that it is coming to Connecticut? It’s a way for people who don’t have the right roof or location for solar panels to reduce their electricity costs by participating in a shared solar project.

Find out how you and your community can participate in this new program on CT Outdoors with Suzanne Thompson of Old Lyme. Thompson’s guest this week is David Desiderato, Connecticut Fund for the Environment’s Shared Solar Coordinator.

Listen Saturday, Aug. 17, 1-1:30 p.m. or Sunday, Aug. 18, 7-7:30 a.m., on WLIS 1420 AM/Old Saybrook and WMRD 1150 AM/Middletown, streaming at http://www.wliswmrd.net. Or play back on your PC or Mac anytime from http://www.wliswmrd.net, click the On Demand icon, look for pop-up screen from radiosecurenetsystems.net, and scroll to CT-Outdoors-81319—Shared-Solar-Toolkit.

You also can learn more on CFE’s website, http://www.ctenvironment.org, and download your Shared-Solar-Toolkit at Shared Solar Toolkit – CFE/Save the Sound

Filed Under: Community, Lyme, Old Lyme

Death Announced of Joan K. Kelley of Lyme; Memorial Service to be Held in Old Lyme, Sept. 7

August 15, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

JOAN K. KELLEY
1942-2019

Joan Kelley and Sophie.

Joan K. Kelley, 77, of Lyme, Connecticut passed away peacefully on July 23rd, 2019 at her home on Beaver Brook Road after an extended struggle with cancer. She was surrounded by close friends and caregivers, and importantly, by her two beloved golden retriever companions, Mollie and Zoie, as was her wish.

Joan was the Office Manager for the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme for the past 12 years, a position she truly loved and performed with extraordinary skill, grace, compassion and unfailing good humor In that capacity, she was the first person that many people encountered when they walked through the church doors, or when they called on the phone. She was the very definition of the values of hospitality and grace to which the church is dedicated. But for so many who had the privilege of knowing her, she was much more than a colleague, or a welcoming presence in the office. She was a dear friend. Above all, Joan loved gathering with friends, being with friends, cooking for friends, and spending time with those she cared about deeply.

And when the time came, they surrounded her bedside, and helped her to know that she wasn’t alone, that she was loved, and that she was an important part of their lives. Joan taught all who knew her something of what it is to be a friend.

Joan was an accomplished artist, and had a passion for gardening, knitting and quilting. She was also a great lover of poetry, especially the poems of Mary Oliver. A few months ago, she shared with her friends Mary Oliver’s “When Death Comes.” Despite the title, it’s a hopeful poem, as Joan always was. The poem will be read at her memorial service at the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme on Saturday, September 7th, 2019 at 2 p.m.

Joan is survived by her brother Peter Winkler and his wife Lee Rogers of Gilbert, Arizona. Also by her daughter Kathryn Johnston and her husband Blake, by her son David Minns and his wife Carrie, and by five grandchildren, Liam, Katie, Hanna, Jack and Will, all of Portland, Oregon.

Contributions in lieu of flowers may be made in her name to The First Congregational Church of Old Lyme, 2 Ferry Road, Old Lyme, CT 06371, in care of The Minister’s Discretionary Fund. To share a memory of Joan or send a condolence to her family please visit www.rwwfh.com . Arrangements by the Robinson, Wright & Weymer Funeral Home in Centerbrook.

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

Summer Sing “Rutter’s ‘Magnificat’ in Old Saybrook Tomorrow, All Welcome

August 11, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

Photo by David Beale on Unsplash.

OLD SAYBROOK — Summer Sing “Rutter’s “Magnificat”on Monday, Aug. 12. Registration is at 7 p.m. and the sing begins at 7:30 p.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 56 Great Hammock Road, Old Saybrook.

This session will be conducted by Russ Hammond of The Shoreline Chorale.

All singers are welcome to perform in this read-through of a great choral work. Professional soloists often participate.

The event is co-sponsored by Cappella Cantorum and Con Brio.

A $10 fee covers the costs of the event. Scores will be available, and the church is air-conditioned.

For more information call (860) 767-9409 or (203)530-0002 or visit www.cappellacantorum.org or www.conbrio.org

Filed Under: Lyme, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook

Lyme-Old Lyme Schools SAT Scores Are in Top 12 Statewide in Both Subjects

August 9, 2019 by Olwen Logan 1 Comment

Lyme-Old Lyme Schools Superintendent Ian Neviaser

LYME-OLD LYME — Lyme-Old Lyme High School (LOLHS) achieved exceptional results in the statewide SAT results published earlier this week by the Connecticut State Department of Education.

The school placed 10th in the Math and 11th in the English Language Arts (ELA) statewide rankings. Moreover, LOLHS was the only school in New London County to feature in Top 12 with almost all the remaining schools in the Top 12 coming from Fairfield County.

A delighted Lyme-Old Lyme Schools Superintendent Ian Neviaser commented exclusively to LymeLine, ““I am so proud of the hard work our students and staff have put in to make us the only school in our region in the top 12 in SAT scores in the entire state.”

He added, “To consistently remain as the highest scoring school in our region shows that our dedication to the success of students through our in-school SAT preparation program is paying dividends.”

The top tier of Math and ELA statewide rankings were as follows:

Math SAT

Darien School District
New Canaan School District
Westport School District
Ridgefield School District
Wilton School District
Avon School District
Weston School District
Regional School District 09
Glastonbury School District
Regional School District 18

English Language Arts SAT

New Canaan School District
Wilton School District
Westport School District
Darien School District
Ridgefield School District
Weston School District
Regional School District 09
Simsbury School District
Avon School District
Greenwich School District
Regional School District 18

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

Death of Suzanne Brown Announced; Memorial Service to be Held in Old Lyme, Aug. 25

August 9, 2019 by Admin 1 Comment

Suzanne Brown

ESSEX — Suzanne “Suzie” Brown, our mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend, passed away Aug. 5, 2019, from complications after a fall in her home. She joins her beloved husband, Templeton “Temp” Brown of 58 years. We will celebrate them both by living their example of truth, love, and commitment.

Suzie celebrated beauty in life by picnicking in the countryside, arranging flowers from her garden, traveling the world, and savoring languages, cuisine, literature, colors, and the natural world. She cherished her family. We all have cultivated deep artistic roots because she showed us how to appreciate beauty in everything around us, every day of her life.

Suzie lived in Winnetka, Ill. for over three decades, and then returned to her childhood state of Connecticut to begin a new adventure with our dad, Temp, in Lyme. She had a wonderful group of friends, old and new, first from her many years in Illinois, and then more recently centered in Lyme and at the Essex Meadows Senior Retirement Community, in Essex. Suzie loved and appreciated the connections she made in Essex Meadows with her neighbors, staff, care-team, and her dear friend, Len Lonnegren.

Suzie will be remembered forever by her family, daughter Lisa Brown and her husband Mark Lellman; grandson Matt Lellman; and granddaughters, Leah Lellman (husband Josh Hisley) and Heidi Lellman (husband Jake Bonnerup); and great-grandson, Theo Bonnerup; daughter Suzanne Butz and her husband Ted Butz; grandsons Teddy Butz and Robert Butz (wife Jen Butz); and great-granddaughter, Hayden Butz; and daughter Maren Brown and her wife Patricia Morrison.

A Memorial Service will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25, at the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be made to the Lyme Land Trust, which was dear to both mom and dad’s deep appreciation of preserving nature for future generations to enjoy.

Filed Under: Community, Essex, Lyme, News, Obituaries, Old Lyme, Top Story

Responding to Last Weekend’s Mass Shootings, Sen. Murphy Authors Op-Ed in ‘The Hill’ Titled ‘The Violence Paradox’

August 9, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

US Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.)

WASHINGTON –- Following last weekend’s mass shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), authored an op-ed in The Hill focusing on America’s unique legacy of violence and how Congressional inaction is a signal of endorsement to would-be shooters. Since his time in the Senate, Murphy has been a vocal critic of our nation’s gun laws and have proposed commonsense gun violence prevention legislation.

Excerpts from the op-ed are below and can be viewed here.

“It is a deeply uncomfortable fact that inside some humans lies the ability to rationalize the decision to walk into a Walmart or a crowded bar and start firing a wildly lethal weapon indiscriminately, with the goal of ending as many lives as possible.”

“But as these slaughters – from Newtown to Orlando to Las Vegas to El Paso and Dayton – continue unabated, we need to start asking questions about what within our own makeup explains this mass shooting epidemic, and what control society has over these outlier actions that seem, with each new mind-bending massacre, less like outliers. The answer is that violence is inside us, but so is the ability to end this epic-scale carnage.”

“First, we must face a foundational fact – humans are uniquely hardwired for violence.”

“Our rates of violence over the millennia have gone up and down, but long ago, humans figured out that violence was an effective means of social and economic advancement.”

“Here in America, our legacy of violence is even more pronounced than the rest of the world. Once Europeans landed on the continent, violence as a means of social order became standard order.”

“First, it was the settlers wiping out the local tribes, then it was slaveowners using massive scale violence to enslave African-Americans, and then ethnic groups turned on each other, using violence to contest economic and social space in America’s crowded cities.”

“Along the way, it was the guns that made it easy for the dominant groups to control the subordinate groups. One historian suggests that without the flood of weapons that came with America becoming the early home of the global arms industry, America would be 50 percent less murderous over our long history.”

“Here in America, we are nowhere near as violent as we were in our early years, in large part because of government intervention. It is not a coincidence that the two steepest periods of decline in the rate of murder in the United States occurred right after passage of the two most significant gun laws in our nation’s history – the first national firearms control acts in 1934 and 1938, and the background checks and assault weapons ban bills in 1993 and 1994.”

“The success of those two legislative efforts to significantly depress violence levels in the United States should give us hope as we grieve over these most recent American mass shootings.”

“Laws that keep weapons away from dangerous people, and keep uniquely dangerous weapons – like the AR-15 – away from everyone, work.”

“Data shows that states with tougher gun laws have lower gun murder rates. At the federal level, during the 10 years of the assault weapons ban, America’s mass murder rate was almost half that of the following 10 years.”

“At the federal level, during the 10 years of the assault weapons ban, America’s mass murder rate was almost half that of the following 10 years.”

“As the minds of these mass shooters descend into a dark place, unimaginable to you and me, where they rationalize the decision to exorcise their personal trauma through mass violence, I believe they take note of the silence at the highest levels of their nation regarding the choice they are contemplating.”

“Yes, presidents and governors and senators send out statements condemning each mass shooting, and offer “thoughts and prayers” to the victims and their families. But these are empty words, and everybody knows it, especially after no actual policy changes are enacted as the mass shooting era continues to grip America.”

“The absence of any interest in passing laws to condemn mass shootings sends a signal of unintentional endorsement to would-be mass murderers.”

“When it comes to the instincts that lie inside humans, this weekend’s shootings represent one side of the coin. But on the other side is our ability to stop violence. It’s our choice which side lands face up.”

Read the full op-ed here.

Filed Under: Lyme, Old Lyme, Op-Eds, Politics

Lyme-Old Lyme High School, Middle School Announce Q4 Honor Rolls

August 8, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

Lyme-Old Lyme High School 4th Quarter Honor Roll 2018-19

HIGH HONORS

Grade 12:

Kathryn Atkinson, Lewis Avery, Madison Babcock, Jacqueline Barry, Casey Blue, Mackenzie Blue, Jocelyn Campbell, Ann Cote, Emma Danes, Britney DeRoehn, Corey Drummond, Grace Edwards, Olin Frederiks, Zachary Gidius, Grace Gilbert, Emily Grenier, Kylie Hall, Colin Hallahan, Sarah Hayward, Haley Heath, Kate Hickie, Aoife Hufford, John Manthous, Brynn McGlinchey, Hannah Morrison, Leah Neithamer, Emily O’Brien, Jacob Olsen, Katherine Reid, Sadie Rubitski, Noah Rumm, Kellie Sablone, Caroline Sagristano, Anna Sather, Justin Shaw, Penelope Small, Emily Tan, Alexander Williams

Grade 11:

Emily Balocca, Emma Bass, Audrey Berry, Faith Caulkins, Rory Cavicke, Sarah Conley, Elizabeth Cravinho, Isabel Dean-Frazier, Arianna DelMastro, Maria Denya, Raymond Doll, Samuel Dushin, Araselys Farrell, Nicholas Fava, Jada Fuentes, Tanner Griffin, Sophia Griswold, Kamber Hamou, Lauren Huck, Jeffy Joshy, Daniel Kendall, Renate Kuhn, Rachael Larson, Brenna Lewis, Thomas McCarthy, Ryan McTigue, Samantha Olson, Jane Scheiber, Colby Sides, Garrett Smith, Emily Speckhals, Evan St.Louis, Olivia Stack, Haley Stevens, Olivia Tetreault, Ryan Tetreault, Lydia Tinnerello, Sydney Trowbridge, Megan VanSteenbergen, Jackson Warren, Theodore Wayland, Trevor Wells, Clair Wholean, Maggie Wisner, Conner Wyman, Katherine Zelmanow

Grade 10:

Kaylee Armenia, Juliette Atkinson, Rachel Barretta, Ava Berry, Emma Boardman, Martinez Carcamo, Kate Cheney, Emerson Colwell, Megan Cravinho, George Danes, Bianca Dasilva, Paige Davis, Francette Donato, Corah Engdall, Sadie Frankel, Fiona Frederiks, Lillian Grethel, Isabella Hine, Grace Lathrop, Gabriel Lavoie, Owen Macadam, Emma Meekhoff, Brianna Melillo, Marina Melluzzo, Michael Milazzo, Riley Nelson, Sophia Ortoleva, Connie Pan, Lauren Pitt, Ezra Pyle, Hayden Saunders, Tait Sawden, Lian Thompson, Angus Tresnan, Kelly Walsh, Ellery Zrenda

Grade 9:

Grace Arnold, Nihad Bicic, Hannah Britt, Mackenzie Bussolotti, Evan Clark, Anne Colangelo, John Conley, Lauren Creagan, Caroline Crolius, Elias D’Onofrio, Elizabeth Duddy, Eleanor Dushin, Victoria Gage, Samantha Geshel, Nicolette Hallahan, Andrew Hedberg, Madison Hubbard, Fiona Hufford, Julia Johnston, Nevin Joshy, Kian Kardestuncer, Cora Kern, Michael Klier, Felse Kyle, William Larson, Reese Maguire, Abigail Manthous, Grace McAdams, Evan Morgan, Elle Myers, Bella Orlando, Jacob Ritchie, Katie Roberts, Margaret Rommel, Alexander Roth, Olivia Schaedler, Calvin Scheiber, Abigail Sicuranza, Matthew Snyder, Abby Speckhals, Drew St.Louis, Nikolai Stephens-Zumbaum, Victoria Stout, Madison Thompson, Aidan Ward, Melanie Warren, Ellie Wells

HONORS

Grade 12:

Catherine Battalino, Lauren Birk, Claire Britton, Paige Britton, John Coughlin, Thomas Creagan, Liam Holloway, Riley Jacobson, Mya Johnson, Sophie Kyle, Henry Lahm, Danielle McCarthy, Nicholas Myers, Sydney Ogden, Thomas Pennie, Eaven Rivera, Nicholas Roth, Olivia Rugg, Robert Sedlatschek, Ethan Tracano, Caroline Wallace, Colleen Walsh

Grade 11:

Anabella Arias, Jean-Luc Bolduc, Chloe Cahill, Madison Cann, Martinez Carcamo, Emilia Cheesman, Ty Dean, Lucy Gilbert, Grace Hanrahan, Benjamin Kelly, Jacqueline Malizia, Biuma Mariame, Melissa Mauro, Ryan Mitchell, Mason Morrissey, Dylan Mulligan, Chandler Munson, Sofia Pecher-Kohout, Cajamarca Pelaez, Carter Popkin, Jenna Porter, Jared Ritchie, Andre Salkin, Summer Siefken, Philip Sweeney, Kiera Ulmer, Anna Williams

Grade 10:

Paige Alpha, Colbe Andrews, Maxwell Bauchmann, Sadie Bowman, Kyuss Buono, John Cox, Patrick Dagher, Emily DeRoehn, Leslie Farrell, Eveliz Fuentes, Samantha Gray, Schuyler Greenho, Emma Griffith, Regan Kaye, Paige Kolesnik, Mackenzie Machnik, Madelyn Maskell, Elle McAraw, Emma McCulloch, Timothy O’Brien, Gavin Porter, Jacob Quaratella, Ethan Rivera, Anthony Rosario, Jesper Silberberg, Isabella Smith, Tessa St.Germain, Jake Stewart, Katrina Wallace, Lauren Wallace, Alison Ward, Katelyn Zbierski

Grade 9:

John Almy, Ryan Clark, James Creagan, Elise DeBernardo, Liam Fallon, Iona Fitzgerald, Aiden Goiangos, Shawn Grenier, Jackson Harris, Zoe Jensen, Owen Kegley, Robyn King, Alex Lee, Mikayla Masilotti, Emily Mesham, Jacob Meyers, Samuel Mullaney, Brendan O’Brien, Michael O’Donnell, Adeline Riccio, Frank Sablone, McLean Signora, Meghan Speers, Olivia Turtoro, John Videll, Evan Visgilio, Mary Wholean, Avery Wyman, Ryan Zbierski

Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School Q4 Honor Roll 2018-19

HIGH HONORS

Grade 8:

Whitney Barbour, Callie Bass, Livie Bass, Jillian Beebe, Jordan Beebe, Cooper Bowman, Ava Brinkerhoff, Jamie Bucior, Gretchen Burgess, Sarah Burnham, Hayley Cann, Liam Celic, Luke Celic, Grace Colwell, William Danes, Anna Davis, Zachary Eichholz, Willa Hoerauf, Dylan Hovey, Karissa Huang, Owen Ingersoll-Bonsack, Aidan Kerrigan, Phoebe Lampos, Jonah Lathrop, Monique Lavoie, Jacob Lopez-Bravo, Ford Macadam, Marielle Mather, Madalyn McCulloch, Caden Monte, Cooper Munson, Alain Pecher-Kohout, Izzadora Reynolds, Rhyleigh Russell, Eli Ryan, Anders Silberberg, Alyssa Spooner, Tova Toriello, Kaitlyn Ward, Harry Whitten, George Williams, Quinn Williams

Grade 7:

Peighton Andrews, Emma Bayor, Oliver Berry, Alis Bicic, Elliot Bjornberg, Henry Boremski, Drew Brackley, Natalie Buckley, Jackson Bullock, Nicholas Cheesman, Sarah Colangelo, Ella Curtiss-Reardon, Eric Dagher, Lucas DaSilva, Eva D’Onofrio, Mulanga Drysile, Amelia Gage, Ryder Goss, Sydney Goulding, Nyla Goulis, Alexis Grasdock, Justin Green, Douglas Griswold, Katherine Gryk, Abby Hale, Nathaniel Heon, Leland Hine, Sedona Holland, Agatha Hunt, Beatrice Hunt, Sabina Jungkeit, Emmerson Kaye, Dakota Kotzan, Audrey LeCour, Luke Legein, Brodie Lippincott, Matthew Mazzalupo, Anna McAdams, Griffin McGlinchey, Matthew Miller, Elaina Morosky, Katherine Mullaney, Delaney Nelson, Isabelle O’Connor, Kayla O’Leary, Grace Phaneuf, Jack Porter, Luisa Raby, Ava Roth, Owen Snurkowski, Gabriel Tooker, Keara Ward, Louisa Warlitz, Mason Wells, Tyler Wells, Summer Wollack

Grade 6:

Christopher Anderson, Emma Arelt, Oliver Avelange, Natalie Barndt, Micah Bass, Justin Bonatti, Nathaniel Bradley, Mark Burnham, Chase Calderon, Tabitha Colwell, Gloria Conley, Chloe Datum, Andrea DeBernardo, Autumn Dionne, Zoe Eastman-Grossel, Caeli Edmed, Anna Eichholz, Grace Ferman, Hoshena Gemme, Ava Gilbert, Henry Griswold, Jonathan Harms, Kyle Ingersoll-Bonsack, Shyla Jones, Simon Karpinski, Aven Kellert, Olivia Kelly, Ella Kiem, Peter Kuhn, Ada LaConti, James Lahot, Brenden Landry, Elise Leonardo, Andrew Liu, Colette Marchant, Abigail O’Brien, Kanon Oharu, Filip Pecher-Kohout, Sophie Pennie, Mutia Quarshie, Kelly Sheehan, Andrew Sicuranza, Drea Simler, Timothy Sousa, Audrey Spiegel, Morgan Standish, Madeline Supersano, Charlotte Tinniswood, Leah Volponi, Kathleen Walsh, Ava Wilcox

HONORS

Grade 8:

Olivia Alpha, Gillian Bradley, Evelynn Carr, Alexander Chrysoulakis, John Eichholz, Clarence Hinckley, Arber Hoxha, Karleigh Landers, Calvin Monte, Kelsey Pryor, Jacob Rand, Benjamin Roth, Marco Supersano, Samantha Tan

Grade 7:

Elizabeth Cone, Macklin Cushman, Mohamad Hamou, Beky Pallaroso, Haley Shaw, Madeleine Soriano, Kalea VanPel

Grade 6:

Ella Austin, Molly Boardman, Shane Eastman-Grossel, Trinity Empie-Jones, Ella Evans, Marcella Gencarella, Salvatore Gencarella, Abigail Griffith, Rowan Hovey, Elizabeth Lopez, Max Novak, Nathan Parker, Shannon Pryor, Ysabel Rodriguez, Josephine Small

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

‘A Farmers’ Market’ Opens Saturdays for the Season at Tiffany Farms

August 3, 2019 by Olwen Logan 1 Comment

Bill Hurtle and Jen Tiffany are preparing to open ‘The Farmers Market at Tiffany Farms’ on June 15.

LYME — It was looking as though Lyme Farmers Market, which has for more than 15 years been a perennially popular destination for both local and regional shoppers, was going to be absent from the landscape this year.

In an exciting turn of events, Jennifer Tiffany and her husband Bill Hurtle have reincarnated the market with a new name and location, and will open for business on June 15. Tiffany explained in an exclusive interview with LymeLine.com that Bill has fostered the idea of running a farmers market for many years. He hails from Long Island and was used to seeing the numerous farm stands at the side of the road there and longed to do something similar in Lyme.

But there was no inclination to follow through with the plan in any major sense while Lyme Farmers Market was still bustling just up the road on Ashlawn Farm in Lyme.

A view of the iconic Tiffany Farms where the new market is planned.

Their first iteration of Bill’s dream happened last summer when Tiffany started hanging buckets of flowers on the feed bunk by the ‘Ladies in Waiting’ sign at the corner of Sterling City Rd. and Hamburg Rd., where the Holstein cows known as the “Ladies of Lyme” used to congregate. But someone said they thought it was a memorial for the cows which are no longer kept at the farm.

As a result, Tiffany says, they “dragged out“ Tiffany Farm’s old silage cart and placed it on the same corner and Tiffany’s daughter, Lisa Simiola, fashioned a nameplate out of wood calling it “From the Farm.” Tiffany and Hurtle then added farm produce to the flower selection on the stand, all of which was successfully sold on the honor system.

However, when Tiffany read online that Lyme Farmers Market would not be opening this year, she and Bill saw an opportunity. Jen is passionate about the current plight of farmers — “they’re a dying breed,” she notes sadly — and wants people to understand that her and Bill’s overarching intent in starting the new farmers market is to help and support farmers.

Tiffany stresses that this venture is absolutely not a money-making one on their part — they both have full-time jobs so it’s “not their bread and butter,” she explains. Rather, she sees it a way not only to support farmers, but also to bring life and beauty back to the iconic farm and regenerate the sense of community vibrancy previously associated with Lyme Farmers Market. Any income from the market will be plowed back into the operation to help fund the overheads.

Opening Day for ‘The Farmers Market at Tiffany Farms’ is Saturday, June 15, and the market will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and Tiffany stresses, “All Department of Agriculture, Markets, Department of Health and CT Grown guidelines will apply.” She is “envisaging the same look as [Lyme Farmers Market at] Ashlawn,” which means there will be neither entertainment nor what she describes as “flea-market-type stuff.” The aim is a “very classy ” market in Tiffany’s words, focused on Connecticut-grown or-produced items such as dairy, beef, vegetables, herbs, jellies and syrups.

Aerial view of Tiffany farms showing where the Farmer’s Market will be located.

The field generously made available for the market by Susan B. Tiffany — the current owner of Tiffany Farms — is a “secluded area where my grandfather kept draft ponies,” notes Tiffany, adding the layout of the market will involve keeping cars and vendors separate. She and Hurtle are hoping to have a minimum of 10 vendors and says they will be “elated” if the number reaches 20.

The list of vendors who have already signed up for Opening Day includes:

Four Mile River Farm
Sankow’s Beaver Brook Farm
Upper Pond Farm (also representing Ashlawn Farm)
Sweet Pea Cheese and House of Hayes
T.A.L.K. Seafood
Fat Stone Farm
Dondero Orchards
Deep River Farm
Wave Hill Breads
Beaver Brook Bakery
From the Farm

Vendors are still welcome to apply for a spot at “The Farmers Market at Tiffany Farms.” Vendor applications are available by calling Jennifer Tiffany at 860-434-6239 or 860-575-4730 or emailing jtiffany01@msn.com

Editor’s Note: The Farmer’s Market enjoyed a wonderful Opening Day June 15 with more than 500 people visiting the market. Congratulations to Jen and Bill on such a successful and well-deserved start to their new enterprise. We heartily commend them for having the courage to take on this venture, the total belief in its mission, and the passion to make it happen.

Filed Under: Community, Lyme

Reading Uncertainly? ‘The Soul of America’ by Jon Meacham

August 2, 2019 by Felix Kloman Leave a Comment

This is an engrossing reflection on past American leaders, elected and publicly acknowledged, and how they have shaped our peculiar, yet resilient, form of governance.

Meacham leads us in a thorough review of our history: early (and conflicted) visions, Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War, its aftermath (Reconstruction, the Klu Klux Klan), Teddy Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson and our entry into world affairs, the Depression, FDR, McCarthyism, Martin Luther King, and LBJ. Throughout he gives us the sense that all human beings, and, indeed, our so-called “leaders,” are both selfish and altruistic, often at the same moment.

We are both hopeful and fearful. It is, again, a story of trying to organize ourselves when we are simultaneously rational and irrational.

Meacham is a storehouse of relevant quotes from earlier observers. As an example, his last six pages cite 28 comments of others, often at length.

But his narrative ends with the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Yes, that was a momentous achievement, but our scrambling did persist thereafter. As Sean Wilentz, in his New York Times review on June 10, 2018 explained, “Suddenly we are thrust back into the present with little understanding of how we got here from there”. What has gone wrong, or has, indeed, anything gone wrong? Are we simply, as so often in the past, struggling to find reasonable courses of action, both domestically and internationally?

Perhaps an answer lies in his quote of Eisenhower on leadership: “It’s persuasion – and conciliation – and education – and patience.” But are we ready, even willing, to accept that rational guidance?

Throughout, the author cites our very human compulsion to accept ”the most ancient of institutions, a powerful chief” connected to “the more modern of institutions, a free, disputatious populace.” Can they work together? Is our system really worthwhile (a strong executive, balanced by an equally strong legislature and judiciary)?

I continue to look with envy at a system almost as old (created in 1848), the one in Switzerland: seven rotating presidents, each serving a one year term, with a strong Assembly and local cantonal legislatures. And the Swiss employ four languages! It works and it has much less publicity …

Meacham’s five concluding “ideas”: (1) Enter the Arena, (2) Resist Tribalism, (3) Respect Facts and Deploy Reason, (4) Find a Critical Balance, and (5) Keep History in Mind.

Keep listening, reading, and thinking!

Editor’s Note: ‘The Soul of America’ by Jon Meacham was published by Random House, New York in 2018.

Filed Under: Lyme, Reading Uncertainly, Top Story

Carney, Somers Call for Public Hearing Regarding Recent Port Authority Issues

July 28, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

State Representative Devin Carney (R-23rd)

HARTFORD — State Rep. Devin Carney (R-23) and State Senator Heather Somers (R-18) are asking that the Transportation Committee hold a public hearing to address issues pertaining to the Connecticut Port Authority, its recent leadership changes, and related controversies. Both legislators want the opportunity to obtain answers and receive a more detailed explanation of the ongoing problems at the quasi-public Authority.

Rep. Carney, the Ranking Member of the legislature’s Transportation Bonding Sub-Committee said, “I am very concerned about what is occurring at the Port Authority and believe the public deserves answers. As a member of the Transportation Committee and with the Port Authority’s offices in my district, I am calling for a public hearing to find out how the Authority is being managed and to find out exactly what went wrong and when.”

“It has been five years since the agency was established, and I feel strongly that given its recent leadership changes, there is no better time than now for us to take a close look at what is going on regarding the Port Authority and how it is accomplishing its statutory goals,” added Carney. “There appears to be more going on here than what we are being told and the legislature owes it to the people of this state to get to the bottom of it. We must to have more transparency and more oversight.”

“There are many questions to be answered to give the public confidence that this organization is meeting its responsibilities to the taxpayers at a critical time. It is very disturbing that we are not receiving more information about issues with staff and finances,” said Senator Somers.

“The public deserves transparency and it is unacceptable that an Authority with such a large budget is in such disarray,” Somers added. “It is imperative that swift action be taken as the state is entering into a multi-million dollar investment into New London’s deep- water port. In order to move forward, Connecticut’s residents and businesses deserve a non-partisan Port Authority comprised of industry experts in deep water ports and international shipping.”

Editor’s Note: The 23rd District includes Lyme, Old Lyme Old Saybrook and part of Westbrook.

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

Lyme-Old Lyme Lions Host Classic Car Show Today During Old Lyme’s Midsummer Festival

July 27, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

This year’s Classic Car Show sponsored by the Lyme-Old Lyme Lions will be held on the grounds of the Bee and Thistle Inn on Saturday, July 27.

The Lyme-Old Lyme Lions Classic Car Show will be held Saturday, July 27, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., on the grounds of the Bee & Thistle Inn, Lyme St, Old Lyme, next to the Florence Griswold Museum, between I-95 Exits 70 and 71.

There will be 14 classes shown as well as a ‘People’s Choice’ award.

Admission is $5 for spectators and $10 for show car registration (includes admission for driver and one passenger).

The Lions will serve their usual fare, including bacon cheeseburgers, hot dogs, and fries. All proceeds benefit Lions charities.

To pre-register your car for the event, visit the Car Show Registration at this link. Your $10 registration fee is not due til the day of the show.

The Car Show is now part of the Old Lyme Midsummer Festival, where you will find art exhibitions, music and dance, family fun, and wonderful artisan cheeses and breads.

Directions: From the north, take I-95, exit 71, right onto Four Mile River Road, left onto Route 1 South, which becomes Lyme Street. You will find the Bee & Thistle Inn on your right. From the south, take I-95, exit 70, go left onto Route 156, take a right onto Halls Road, then a left onto Lyme Street (Route 1, Boston Post Road). the Bee & Thistle Inn will be on your left.

Rain Date: Sunday, July 29.

Car owners: arrive by 9 a.m.

Filed Under: Lyme, Old Lyme

Mattson, Kiker to Run for Reelection in Lyme; Lyme DTC Announces Full Slate of Candidates for November Election

July 25, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

Lyme First Selectman Steve Mattson (right) and Lyme Selectman John Kiker, both Democrats, are both running for reelection in November 2019. File photo.

LYME –- The Lyme Democratic Town Committee (DTC) announced yesterday that a local Democratic caucus last night nominated and approved a slate of Democratic candidates to run in the November 5 municipal elections.

Lyme First Selectman Steven Mattson and Selectman John Kiker received the unanimous endorsement of the caucus for reelection. Caucus participant and former State Representative Claire Sauer said, “Steve and John have done an excellent job of serving our town, while keeping our mill rate among the lowest in the state.”

The Democratic caucus also nominated seven other Lyme residents to run for public office in November, each of whom received unanimous endorsements.

Lyme DTC Nominating Committee Chairperson Ann Rich said, “Our committee has been actively interviewing Lyme residents with the potential to serve our town in various capacities. We identified a number of individuals who are not only highly qualified, but also extremely interested in serving the town we all love and cherish.”

Running for election this year will be:

• Jarrod Leonardo for Board of Finance
• Susan Tyler for Board of Finance Alternate
• Bob House for Board of Finance Alternate
• Carol House for Planning & Zoning Commission
• Michael James for Library Board
• Anna González James for Zoning Board of Appeals Alternate

Running for reelection will be:

• Steven Mattson for First Selectman
• John Kiker for Selectman and Zoning Board of Appeals
• Judy Ulrich for Library Board

The Lyme DTC’s mission is to support and strengthen the Democratic Party in the Town of Lyme and the State of Connecticut. The committee typically meets on the third Thursday of every month at 7:30 p.m. in the Lyme Town Hall. These meetings are open to the public and all registered Democrats are encouraged to attend.

Filed Under: Lyme, News, Politics, Top Story, Town Hall

Final Concert in ‘Summer Sounds’ Series Features ‘Ticket to Ride’ at Senior Center, Aug. 1

July 25, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

Beatles Tribute Band Ticket to Ride will be performing at the Lymes’ Senior Center, Thursday, Aug. 1, in the final free concert of the Summer Sounds series, starting at 7 p.m., which will be held rain or shine. All are welcome. Bring your chairs, blankets, dinner, etc. — the performances will be held out on the lawn (weather permitting) or inside if the weather is inclement.

A free ice cream social will follow the concert.

The concert series is sponsored by the following companies and organizations:

Signature Sponsors
Essex Printing (Centerbrook CT.)
Homecare Services of CT. (Niantic CT)
LymeLine.com

Gold Sponsors
All Pro Automotive (Old Lyme CT)
Audiology Concierge (Old Saybrook CT)
VNA of Southeastern CT (Waterford CT)
Reynolds Subaru and Reynolds Boats (Lyme CT)
Old Lyme Visiting Nurses Association, INC (Old Lyme CT)
Senior Health Insurance (Clinton CT)
Stone Ridge Active Retirement Living (Mystic CT)
Friends of the Lymes’ Senior Center (Old Lyme CT)

Silver Sponsors
Care Partners of CT (Wethersfield CT)

The Ice Cream Social Sponsors are:
Old Lyme Republican Town Committee (two Concerts)
Old Lyme Democratic Town Committee
Friends of the Lymes’ Senior Center

Filed Under: Community, Lyme, Old Lyme