Old Lyme

Lyme Academy Welcomes Community to First Annual Holiday Tree Lighting This Afternoon; Enjoy Cookies, Crafts, Music and Merriment Galore!

December 13, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

This huge fir tree, which will be lit tonight, has been installed in front of the Chandler Center at Lyme Academy.

OLD LYME — The Lyme Academy of Fine Arts starts a new tradition this afternoon at 4 p.m. and invites the whole community to join them! With a fir tree towering high into the air in front of the Elisabeth Gordon Chandler Center, the Academy is hosting a tree-lighting the like of which Old Lyme has not seen for many years. All are welcome to attend this fun-filled evening and ring in the holiday season.

Stacey Leonardo, who serves as Executive Assistant at the Academy, explains that the idea for the event was conceived because, “The Academy wanted … to bring the community together to welcome in the holiday season.” As members of the Academy began to prepare for the event, they soon felt, in Leonardo’s words, at they, “Wanted to add in some additional family friendly activities to make the evening even more special.”

The result is that the original idea for just the tree-lighting has now turned into a much more extenive family-friendly event that will feature a musical performance by the Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School Band led by Carrie Wind, who will play festive holiday classics in the Stobart Barn.

Lyme-Old Lyme High School and Lyme Academy College alumnus Rick Lacey assists with the tree installation.

Inside the Chandler Center, children will be able to make an ornament for their homes and also bring their Christmas lists to Santa’s Elves in the lecture room. The Elves in turn may have a treat or two in store for the children in the form of candy canes and more!

Meanwhile, adults can enjoy the Hauthschild Exhibit of paintings of steam locomotives, which is on loan from the Valley Railroad Company in Essex and will be on display outside the Chauncey Stillman Gallery in the Chandler Building.

And to ensure no one goes hungry or thirsty, families can enjoy hot chocolate and cookies generously provided by Essex Savings Bank in the reception area.

The Academy has partnered with a number of generous sponsors to put on this , which include Essex Savings Bank, Lyme-Old Lyme Chamber of Commerce, Beautigasm Makeup Artistry, and Doug Hampton Dowson Photography.

The Academy is collecting non-perishable food donations for the Shoreline Food Kitchen during the event.

Filed Under: Community, Old Lyme, Top Story

Old Lyme Town Band Performs Holiday Concert at ‘The Kate’ Tonight

December 11, 2019 by admin Leave a Comment

OLD LYME / OLD SAYBROOK — The Old Lyme Town Band, under the direction of Carolyn Whinnem, will perform three hour-long holiday concerts this season.

The first is on Saturday, Dec. 7, at 6:30 p.m., at Christ the King Church, 1 McCurdy Rd., Old Lyme. Admission is free.

The following day, Sunday, Dec. 8, at 2 p.m. they will perform at the Lymes’ Senior Center, 26 Town Woods Rd. in Old Lyme. Admission is free.

On Wednesday, Dec. 11, at 7 p.m., they will perform at “The Kate,” 300 Main St., Old Saybrook Tickets for this only concert are $7 for adults, $5 for children 12 and under, and can be purchased online at this link or at the door.

Numbers for all performances may include Bach’s “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring”; “A Christmas Festival,” by Leroy Anderson; “And All the Bells Shall Ring”; “Merry Christmas, Darling”; “Festive Sounds of Hanukah”; and “A Tribute to Judy Garland.” The 40 band members range in age from 10 to 80+ and come from several towns along the shoreline.

The band will welcome new members without audition when rehearsals start again in January. The band rehearses at Christ the King Church Mondays from 7 to 9 p.m.

Visit the band’s website at http://www.oldlymetownband.com or speak to the band’s director, saxophonist Christine Repasy, at any concert to add your name to their mailing list.

Filed Under: Old Lyme, Old Saybrook

Lyme-Old Lyme Schools Move Forward with Plans for $2.3 Million Artificial Turf Field

December 11, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

OLD LYME — The Lyme-Old Lyme Board of Education is moving forward with a plan to build a more than $2 million artificial turf athletic field, a project school officials say will conserve groundwater without placing a burden on taxpayers.

Superintendent Ian Neviaser said last week that the board has almost amassed enough money in the district’s undesignated capital expense fund to build the field. For the past two decades, the district has typically funneled 1 percent of its annual budget into the fund to help finance larger projects and avoid budget increases or the need to bond, he said.

The fund balance is currently …

Read the full article by Mary Biekert and published on theday.com Dec. 9 at this link.

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

Cappella Cantorum Presents Christmas Concert at Valley Regional High School, Sunday

December 9, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

DEEP RIVER — Cappella Cantorum presents its annual Christmas Concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 15, at Valley Regional High School in Deep River.

Filed Under: Deep River, Lyme, Old Lyme, Top Story

Musical Masterworks Presents Concert in Old Lyme This Afternoon

December 8, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

Tara O’Connor

OLD LYME — Musical Masterworks welcomes back world-renowned artists – flutist Tara Helen O’Connor, pianist Adam Neiman, and cellist Edward Arron – for a virtuosic and vividly colorful program at Old Lyme’s First Congregational Church on Sunday, Dec. 8, at 3 p.m.

Neiman will begin the program with Chopin’s beloved E Major Scherzo for Solo Piano; O’Connor and Arron will join forces for The Jet Whistle by Villa-Lobos; Neiman and Arron will render the haunting Air for Cello and Piano, composed in 2004 by Pulitzer Prize winner Kevin Puts; and the three will come together for two trios: the romantic G Major Trio by Debussy and the sparkling E minor Trio by the 19th century composer, Louise Farrenc.

Musical Masterworks’ season runs October 2019 – May 2020 and includes a celebration of Beethoven’s 250th Anniversary in March and May 2020, when concertgoers will have the extraordinary opportunity to hear the complete cycle of Beethoven’s String Quartets. To purchase a mini subscription ($100 each), a Beethoven subscription ($100 or $180) or individual tickets ($40 adult; $5 student), visit Musical Masterworks at www.musicalmasterworks.org or call 860.434.2252.

Filed Under: Old Lyme

Con Brio Presents Christmas Concert This Afternoon in Old Lyme

December 8, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

The Con Brio Choral Society will present their Christmas Concert Friday evening and Sunday afternoon at Christ the King R.C. Church in Old Lyme, CT. Photo by Peter Coffey.

OLD LYME — Sound the trumpets and sing praises!

The Con Brio Choral Society will ring in the Christmas season with two sparkling concerts featuring Zelenka’s Dixit Dominus, Rutter’s Gloria, motets and other works. The concerts will include professional soloists and the Con Brio Festival Orchestra and Brass Ensemble performing under the baton of Dr. Stephen Bruce at Christ the King Church in Old Lyme, CT, 1 McCurdy Lane, on Friday, Dec. 6 at 7 pm and on Sunday Dec. 8 at 3 p.m.

As in past Con Brio concerts, pieces written for multiple choruses will be sung ‘in the round’, taking advantage of the magnificent Christ the King sanctuary. This year, the pieces chosen are In Dulci Jubilo by Samuel Scheidt (1587-1654) and Gloria from Mass for 16 Voices by Carl Friedrich Christian Fasch (1736-1800).

Four soloists – Soprano Danielle Munsell Howard, Alto Allison Messier, Tenor Terrence Fay, and Bass Christopher Grundy – will perform with Con Brio and the Con Brio Festival Orchestra. The audience will also be invited to sing two Christmas carols, joining Con Brio’s singers, soloists and orchestra.

Tickets for the Friday evening concert are $30 and for the Sunday afternoon performance, $35. For more information about Con Brio and to buy concert tickets, go to www.conbrio.org or call 860-526-5399.

Con Brio’s 68 singers, selected by audition, come from 16 Connecticut towns stretching from Deep River and East Haddam in the north to Essex and Old Saybrook in the south, west to Clinton, Guilford and Madison, and east to Old Lyme, Niantic and Groton. The group rehearses weekly in Old Saybrook at St. Paul Lutheran Church.

The Soloists

Soprano Danielle Munsell Howard of Guilford has been praised by Opera News Online for her “bright, pretty timbre and remarkable facility.” She has performed as soloist with the American Bach Soloists, Amherst Early Music Festival, Boulder Bach Festival, the Yale Collegium Soloists, Princeton Pro Musica, and a number of contemporary choral and chamber ensembles. Her New York debut singing Melagro in Gluck’s La Corona at Merkin Hall was enthusiastically received, critically acclaimed in The New York Times and recorded live for Albany Records.

Alto Allison Messier has performed as an oratorio soloist in numerous major works including the Mozart Requiem with the Clearlakes Chorale in the New Hampshire Lakes region, the Rachmaninov Vespers with the Boston Russian Choir; and Dvorak’s Mass in D and Mass in Time of War with the Bermuda Chamber Choir. Her opera credits include Dido in Dido and Aeneas and La Zia Principessa in Suor Angelica with Piccola Opera NH.

Tenor Terrence Fay, lauded as a “musical polymath” by the New London Day, is enjoying a burgeoning career as a tenor soloist and an active choral artist while also serving as principal trombonist of the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra, Opera Theater of Connecticut, and assistant principal trombonist of the New Haven Symphony. As tenor soloist, he has performed with the Eastern Connecticut and New Haven Symphony Orchestras, the Greater Middletown Chorale and Con Brio.

Baritone Christopher Grundy has performed as a soloist throughout North America and Europe in opera, oratorio, and recital. In praise of his performances, reviewers have written that in the title role of Don Giovanni, he “made an impact in the part, vocally and dramatically.” As the baritone soloist in the Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem, he “brought eloquence and musicality to the performance.” He has also performed as soloist with Fairfield County Chorale, Connecticut Lyric Opera, Orchestra New England and the Con Brio Choral Society.

The Program

The Con Brio singers will open the program by processing into the church accompanied by a brass fanfare written by Jan Dismas Zelenka (1679-1745).

From the risers, the chorus, soloists and orchestra will open with Zelenka’s Dixit Dominus followed by John Rutter’s Gloria.
Opening the second half, the singers, arranged all around the outside of the sanctuary, will sing two pieces written for multiple choruses: In Dulci Jubilo by Samual Scheidt and the Gloria from Mass for 16 Voices by Carl Friedrich Christian Fasch.
Then the chorus will return to the risers to sing a varied selection of Christmas, winter, and Hanukkah pieces. As in the past, the audience will be asked to join in singing two much-loved Christmas carols.

Filed Under: Old Lyme

‘Elephants in Winter’ Sale Takes Place at Old Lyme First Congregational Church, Today

December 8, 2019 by admin Leave a Comment

OLD LYME — The annual ‘Elephants in Winter’ Christmas Sale in the Fellowship Hall at the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme (FCCOL) at 2 Ferry Rd. will be held Saturday, Dec.7, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 8, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. This is the Christmas version of the extremely popular White Elephant Sale hosted annually by the church in July.

The Sale features Christmas decorations, artificial trees, garlands and wreaths,lights,window candles, holiday china and glassware, baskets and cookie tins, tree ornaments, stuffed animals and toys,gently used, all at bargain prices.

Find new unique gifts for your Christmas list – original works of art from Haiti and lovingly sewn or knitted creations from our Ladies Who Stitch: beautiful mittens, hats, scarves, shawls, throws, totes and more.

Items will also be on sale from several more of the FCCOL mission partnerships such as the Lakota Reservation at Green Grass on the Cheyenne River in South Dakota, and from Palestine.

Coffee and doughnuts will be available.

Enjoy some holiday shopping for a great cause at this event.

Filed Under: Old Lyme

See Santa in Old Lyme This Morning!

December 7, 2019 by admin Leave a Comment

Santa will be in Old Lyme on Saturday.

OLD LYME — Take ‘Pictures with Santa’ this morning in the Old Lyme Town Hall between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m.

Santa is even bringing some of his elves with him, who will help little ones write their own letters to the North Pole.

Don’t miss him … he has a hectic schedule and won’t be able to stay past noon!

Donations to the Lyme Youth Service Bureau’s Youth Advisory Council scholarship fund will be gratefully accepted.

Filed Under: Old Lyme

Don’t Miss the 29th Annual Holiday Cookie Walk in Old Lyme This Morning

December 7, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

OLD LYME — You know the feeling: the holidays are in full swing — there’s shopping to do, the house needs decorating, there are concerts and plays at school, and tree lightings and house tours to attend. And you’ve got family coming to visit … On top of it all, with Thanksgiving so late, there’s even less time to get it all into your busy schedule. Where will you find the time to bake and decorate holiday cookies?

The answer … don’t!

Instead, get your cookies at the annual Child & Family Agency Holiday Cookie Walk on Saturday, Dec. 7, at the Old Lyme Town Hall.

What is a “Cookie Walk”? Our volunteers bake a variety of beautiful holiday cookies, and we display them so visitors can walk past the displays and choose their own cookies. These aren’t pre-packaged cookie trays … at the Cookie Walk, you decide which cookies — and how many — you want to purchase. Cookies are then weighed and boxed for purchase. Get there early for the best selection. You can serve them at your neighborhood LYSB party, or freeze them for Christmas Eve., or just eat them when ou choose!

Proceeds benefit the programs and projects of Child & Family Agency of Southeastern Connecticut.

The Cookie Walk is on Saturday, Dec. 7, from 10 a.m. to noon (or as long as the cookies last …) in the Old Lyme Town Hall at 52 Lyme St., along with the Lyme Youth Service Bureau’s (LYSB) Photos with Santa. While you’re choosing cookies, the kids can get a picture taken with Santa (donations to LYSB.)

Child & Family Agency is a private, nonprofit organization whose mission is to nurture children and families to develop their strengths through service, partnership, and advocacy. With offices in New London, Essex, and Groton, and programs dealing with children’s health care, child abuse, family violence, teen pregnancy, parent education, and child guidance, Child & Family Agency is the largest nonprofit children’s service provider in southeastern Connecticut.

Volunteers and supporters are always welcome. For more information, visit www.childandfamilyagency.org. Questions on the Cookie Walk or about joining the Thames West Auxiliary of Child & Family Agency may be directed to CFA.LOLauxiliary@gmail.com.

Follow Child & Family at this link on Facebook.

Filed Under: Lyme, Old Lyme

Old Lyme Library’s BookCellar Hosts Half-Price Holiday Book Sale Today

December 7, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

OLD LYME — Old Lyme-Phoebe Griffin Noyes (OLPGN) Library’s BookCellar hosts its annual Holiday Book Sale in its temporary location at 44 Lyme St. on the evening of Friday, Dec. 6, from 4 to 7 p.m. and during the day on Saturday, Dec. 7, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Kick off this year’s holiday season by choosing books as gifts and supporting your local library at the same time!

All books, CDs and DVDs will be half-price or less. Historic maps are excluded from the sale.

Historic maps of local towns including Old Lyme make perfect holiday gifts.

There will be books from all genres – from Children’s and Young Adults to Art and Photography, the Classics, History and Biography, small gift books and large coffee table books. There is a large collection of First Edition hardcover books, many with protective Mylar covers.

Most prices will range from $2 to $5, with a special bargain table with books priced under one dollar. All proceeds benefit the Library.

For more information about the library or questions about the sale, call 860-434-1684 or visit www.oldlyme.lioninc.org.

Filed Under: Old Lyme

Light Up Old Lyme! Events Galore This Weekend, Here’s a Full Listing

December 6, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

OLD LYME — Lyme Street will be bustling this evening with the Old Lyme-Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library BookCellar’s Holiday Book Sale, from 4 to 7 p.m., at their temporary location at 44 Lyme St. All books, CDs and DVDs will be half price.

Meanwhile, Lyme Art Association will be hosting an Opening Receptionfrom 5 to 7 p.m. for its Deck The Walls exhibition with refreshments, music and more.

The Old Lyme Historical Society hall at 55 Lyme Street has been festively decorated with a 12-foot white spruce tree and a collection of vintage Santas. The hall will be open this evening from 4 to 6pm for a book and merchandise sale. There will be books, calendars, notecards, tea towels, etc. for all of the history buffs on your list.

And Con Brio presents its Holiday Concert at 7 p.m. at Christ The King Church.

Then there are a multitude of events on Saturday, Dec. 7, and Sunday, Dec. 8, followed by many more over the weeks leading up to Christmas Day.

Here’s a detailed listing:

Saturday, December 7

Elephants in Winter hosted by the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme’s Ladies Benevolent Society
9am-1pm: First Congregational Church of Old Lyme. Gently used seasonal items galore on sale. Holiday version of the summer White Elephant Sale. Free admission. Refreshments. Raffle. Benefits the church’s mission programs.

Cookie Walk hosted by Child & Family Agency
9am-12 noon: Old Lyme Town Hall. Choose from a huge selection of beautiful, delicious, homemade cookies. Buy by weight. Other gift items for sale. Benefits the Child & Family Agency.

Holiday Book Sale hosted by the Old Lyme Library’s BookCellar at 44 Lyme St.
9am-2pm: Free admission.

Pictures with Santa! hosted by Lymes’ Youth Service Bureau (LYSB) Donations benefit LYSB.
10am-12 noon: Old Lyme Town Hall. Meet Santa and his Elves!

Concert hosted by Musical Masterworks
5pm: First Congregational Church of Old Lyme. Second performance: Sunday, Dec. 3, at 3pm. Four internationally renowned string musicians play chamber music. Tickets: $40 (adult), $5 (students) at MusicalMasterworks.org or 860.434.2252.

Holiday Pops Concert by Old Lyme Town Band
6:30pm: Christ the King Church Free admission.

Sunday, December 8

Holiday Pops Concert by Old Lyme Town Band
2pm: Lymes’ Senior Center, Town Woods Rd., Old Lyme. Free admission.

Con Brio
3pm. Christmas Concert at Christ The King RC Church with Danielle Munsell Howard, soprano. Open seating, unreserved. Tickets: $30 or $15 for students at conbrio.org or 860.526.5399 or at the door.

Concert hosted by Musical Masterworks
3pm: First Congregational Church of Old Lyme. Tickets: $40 (adult), $5 (students) at MusicalMasterworks.org or 860.434.2252.

Holiday Parties hosted by LYSB
5-7pm: at more than 30 private residences in Lyme and Old Lyme.

THE FOLLOWING EVENTS ARE BEING HELD THROUGHOUT OR ON SPECIFIC DATES IN THE REMAINING WEEKS OF DECEMBER

Holiday Pops Concert by Old Lyme Town Band
Wednesday, December 11
7pm: at The Kate in Old Saybrook
Tickets on sale at this link.

Community Tree Lighting hosted by the Lyme Academy of Fine Arts
Friday, Dec. 13
4-6pm: On the lawn in front of Chandler Center
Seasonal music by Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School Band. Activities in the Refreshments sponsored by Essex Savings Bank.

Eastern Connecticut Ballet at The Garde, New London
Saturday Dec 14 at 1:30 & 7pm and Sunday, Dec 15 at 1:30pm. Nutcracker. Tickets at 860-444-7373 ext.1 or gardearts.org.

Sunday, December 15 at Valley Regional High School
3pm: Cappella Cantorum Christmas Concert

Florence Griswold Museum
Ongoing through Dec. 31, 2017: Magic of Christmas exhibition of beautifully decorated trees. Sleigh Days at The Museum Shop through Dec. 24. Open Tuesday through Sat. 10am-5pm, Sunday: 1-5pm. Tickets: $10 (adult), $9 (senior), $8 (student) at door.

Lyme Art Association
Ongoing through Jan. 5, 2018. Deck the Walls exhibition features more than 200 original works of art by member artists on display and priced to sell as holiday gifts. Free admission. Open Wednesday through Sunday from 10am-5pm, and by appointment.

Filed Under: Old Lyme

Linderman Elected Chairman of the Lyme-Old Lyme Schools Board of Education

December 6, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

Diane Linderman

OLD LYME — During Wednesday evening’s regular Region 18 Board of Education meeting, members held an election to determine who would hold the four officer positions. The results of the election were as follows:

Chairman: Diane Linderman

Vice-Chairman: Martha Shoemaker

Secretary: Steve Wilson

Treasurer: Jean Wilczynski

Linderman replaces Michelle ‘Mimi’ Roche, who did not run for re-election in the November 2019 election. Linderman was previously vice-chairman and Shoemaker served as Secretary.

Steve Wilson, who was elected to the board for the first time in November, takes on the position of secretary and Wilczynski continues in her role as treasurer.

Filed Under: Lyme, Old Lyme, Top Story

Former Old Lyme First Selectwoman Testifies at State Transportation Committee’s Public Hearing on CPA

December 4, 2019 by Christine Stuart Leave a Comment

CHRISTINE STUART/ CTNEWSJUNKIE PHOTO. Published with permission of CTNewsJunkie.com. Bonnie Reemsnyder and Scott Bates, two former Port Authority board members, testify at Wednesday’s hearing.

HARTFORD, CT / OLD LYME — The massive stroke suffered by the Connecticut Port Authority’s former executive director, Evan Matthews, on May 26, 2017, took a toll on operations and contributed to the contracting issues at the quasi-public agency.

Matthews, who voluntarily testified Wednesday at the Transportation Committee’s public hearing on a second state audit of the organization, said some of the contracting issues “were related to the CPA reacting to this emergency.” He also said he was not given a chance to sit down with the auditors and explain to them the unique circumstances “to give them context for why some decisions were being made.”

However, …

Read the full article by Christine Stuart and titled, Former Executive Director Says His Health Contributed To Problems At Port Authority, published Dec. 4 on CTNewsJunkie.com.

Filed Under: Old Lyme, Politics, Top Story

Lyme-Old Lyme Board of Education Will Seat New Members, Elect Officers, at Meeting Tonight

December 4, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

An elction will be held at Wednesday’s BOE meeting to determine the successor to outgoing Region 18 Board of Education Chairman Michelle “Mimi” Roche, pictured above.

LYME-OLD LYME — Three new members representing Old Lyme will take their seats at the Region 18 Board of Education meeting this evening.

Jennifer Miller, Suzanne Thompson and Steven Wilson, all Republicans, will replace Michelle Roche, the current Chair and a Democrat, alomg with Stacey Winchell and Erick Cushman, both Republicans. None of the three retiring members opted to run for re-election in the Nov. 5 election.

Mary Powell-St. Louis, a Republican and one of the two Lyme board members, was re-elected unopposed in the November election.

One of the first items of business at the Dec. 4 meeting, which starts at 6:30 p.m. in the Center School Board of Education Meeting Room, will be the election of officers for the coming year. Voting for the positions of Chair, Vice-Chair, Treasurer and Secretary will be the three new members along with incumbents Powell-St. Louis and Stacey Leonardo (D), who both represent Lyme, and Rick Goulding, Diane Linderman, Jean Wilczynski and Martha Shoemaker, who are all Democrats and represent Old Lyme.

Linderman is currently Vice-Chair, Wilczynski serves as Treasurer, and Shoemaker is Secretary.

Filed Under: Lyme, Old Lyme, Schools

Engineering Firm to Present Work to Date on Turf Field Project at Tonight’s BOE Meeting, Public Welcome

December 4, 2019 by Admin 1 Comment

This playing field behind Lyme-Old Lyme High School is the proposed site of the turf field, which will be discussed at the Region 18 Board of Education meeting Wednesday evening. The engineering firm Milone and MacBroom will present information regarding the project at the meeting.

LYME-OLD LYME — (Based on a Press Release from Lyme-Old Lyme Schools) In the November 2017 issue of ‘Focus on Education’, Lyme-Old Lyme Schools published an article about the background to the proposed installation of a turf field. The article has now been updated to reflect recent actions by the Region 18 Board of Education.

If you have attended any of the Lyme-Old Lyme recent athletic contests, you may have noticed that Lyme-Old Lyme High School has two of the finest grass playing surfaces in the area. These surfaces are maintained without the use of any pesticides and with the added burden of supporting daily practices by multiple athletic teams and physical education programs. Over the past few years, Region 18’s efforts to support these fields for safe play has been a struggle.

Despite being so close to the Connecticut River and Long Island Sound, the greatest challenge in maintaining Region 18 playing fields is a limited water supply. Even with a newly-drilled well, Lyme-Old Lyme Schools continue to find that their water needs — which support regular water usage (cooking, toilets, sinks, etc.) for their main campus, Old Lyme’s Town Hall and Fire Department, Lymes’ Youth Service Bureau, and the Old Lyme Historical Society, combined with the need to irrigate their playing fields — have exceeded their water system capacity.

During two recent summers, Region 18 had to purchase tanker trucks of water to avoid losing the grass on their athletic fields. It was this water supply issue that pushed the Region 18 Board of Education to develop a special committee to review and research the current state of the district’s athletic fields and develop a long-term plan to address its water issues.

This committee, which included 22 members, was made up of people from the community, board of education representatives, and school employees. The committee’s charge was to evaluate the district’s three multipurpose athletic fields and develop a recommendation for facility improvements, which best serves the long-term needs of the school district and the community.

The committee’s work was supported by the expertise of an engineering firm, which evaluated all aspects of Region 18’s facility including water sources, field use, and field location. The committee recommended utilizing a two-pronged approach to address water usage and the demands of Lyme-Old Lyme Schools’ athletic and physical education programs.

The field between the middle and high schools is one of the district’s two irrigated fields.

At their October 2017 meeting, the Region 18 Board of Education voted to approve the use of funds to support the design and bidding of a dedicated system that would supply water to the district’s two irrigated athletic fields, leaving the remainder of their water supply for potable use.

In June 2019, after many months of work with town committees, as well as with the neighbors of Lyme-Old Lyme Schools, who share ownership of the pond behind the high school, a pump system was installed that allows the district to use a limited amount of pond water to supplement its irrigation water supply. During the summer of 2019, this new system was successfully utilized to support the irrigation of two of the district’s three fields.

The varsity field behind Center School is the second of the district’s two irrigated fields.

Also at their October 2017 meeting, the board of education approved the committee’s second recommendation to pursue the concept of submitting an artificial turf field project to the Town of Old Lyme commissions for approval with associated design firm support. The second recommendation will allow the district to pursue the concept of installing a synthetic field behind Lyme-Old Lyme High School allowing multiple teams to practice and play at the same time regardless of the weather.

This proposal will also reduce the overuse of the two grass fields whose irrigation needs have exceeded our water supply. The construction of such a playing surface would be funded from the board’s sinking fund for capital projects and therefore would not impact the annual budget. The funding for this second recommendation was approved at the October 2019 board of education meeting.

At that meeting, the Board of Education approved the hiring of Milone and MacBroom to complete the initial artificial field design as well as to obtain local commission approvals. This next step will be completed during the 2019-2020 fiscal year. Following this phase of the project, Lyme-Old Lyme Schools will be prepared to complete the construction documents, refine the project estimate, and establish a project timeline for field installation.

As Lyme-Old Lyme Schools move forward with this project, the board looks forward to input from the community. At the Wednesday, Dec. 4, board of education meeting, Milone and MacBroom will present information regarding this project. The public is encouraged to attend.

Once the initial design phase is complete, there will be multiple opportunities to learn about the process as well as ask questions of the design firm. For more information, visit Region18.org.

Filed Under: Lyme, Old Lyme, Schools

Legal News You Can Use: Do You Know the True Purpose of Alimony?

December 2, 2019 by Suisman Shapiro Leave a Comment

Alimony is an important protection for some divorcees. If you are divorcing, it might be something you’re looking into seeking, too. Do you know how it’s determined? Do you have any idea about how much you need?

Here’s a little more about alimony, so you can understand what to expect.

1. Alimony is decided by the courts unless you and your spouse agree on an amount

Alimony is decided by the courts, but you and your spouse can decide on an amount yourselves in advance if you’d like. If you want to make up your own mind about how much you need, then you should sit down and budget. Find out how much you need in alimony to make ends meet, and then you and your spouse can talk about an amount that is feasible and how long it should be paid.

2. Alimony is designed to help a lesser-earning spouse and to “pay them back” for their support

Alimony has a few purposes. One purpose may be to help spouses who gave up their careers or who earn less and need time to make up the financial differences caused by moving out. Alimony can also be used as a way to pay them back for financial support while one spouse went to school.

3. Lump-sum alimony helps you avoid long-term obligations

Lump-sum alimony is a good way to avoid long-term obligations. With lump-sum alimony, the payer doles out the whole amount versus monthly installments. With lump-sum alimony, the recipient doesn’t have to worry about payments not being made, and neither the recipient nor payer have to stay in touch (unless for other reasons).

Attorneys at Suisman Shapiro can speak with you more about alimony and answer your questions on the subect. Visit their website or call 800-499-0145 — lines are open 24 hours a day.

Sponsored post on behalf of Suisman Shapiro.

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

Enjoy ‘The Magic of Christmas’ at Flo Gris Museum in Old Lyme Through New Year

December 1, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

There are now four palette trees to hold the more than 200 hand-painted palettes on display in this year’s ‘Magic of Christmas.’

OLD LYME — The holiday season is always something special to celebrate at the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme, Conn. – after all, Miss Florence was born on Christmas Day, 1850. The Museum will be decked out in its holiday finery for the Magic of Christmas celebration from Nov. 29, 2019 through Jan. 5, 2020.

This year marks the 200^th painted palette to be added to Miss Florence’s Artist Trees. Since 2004 noted artists from across the country have donated works to this one-of-a-kind holiday icon – so many that now four trees are needed to hold the works of art. The idea of contemporary artists creating paintings on artists’ palettes is a nod to the Museum’s history as the center for the Lyme Art Colony, and alludes to the door and wall panels the artists painted throughout Miss Florence’s boardinghouse over a century ago. The palette artists’ styles and subject matter are as varied as the individuals.

This palette by Kenney Mencher of Palo Alto, Calf., is one of the 2019 additions to the Palette Trees.

Oils, acrylics, watercolors, ceramics, glass, and collage are used to transform the palettes into traditional holiday scenes, delightful landscapes, and more than a few surprises! The palettes are displayed on four trees in the Krieble gallery, along with the current exhibition, “Nothing More American:” Immigration, Sanctuary, and Community—An Exhibition by Matthew Leifheit.

To commemorate the milestone of the 200th palette, the Museum published Miss Florence’s Artist Trees: Celebrating a Tradition of Painted Palettes, which showcases each of the works of art on its own page.

In the historic rooms of the Florence Griswold House, the special installation by artist Jennifer Angus, Silver Wings and Golden Scales, has been held over by popular demand. Visitors to the House will be able to delight in this dream-like scenario of Miss Florence’s home transformed into the site of an insect-themed masquerade party through Jan. 12, 2020.

Angus evokes the bohemian spirit of the Lyme Art Colony through her artistic compositions of preserved exotic insects, including textile-inspired wallcoverings, an elegant cape for Miss Florence, and whimsical vignettes. Through her art, Angus brings to visitors not only the beauty of insects, but their critical importance to our ecology as well. Upstairs, two artists, Betsy Barry and Carol Maynard have created Fantasy Trees, designed to delight and inspire.

All ages can enjoy the beautiful Palette Christmas Trees at the ‘Magic of Christmas’ exhibition

Many special events and programs are held in conjunction with the Magic of Christmas. Christmastime Teas are among the most popular events. Delectable scones with clotted cream, assorted tea sandwiches, and cookies prepared by Gourmet Gallery, a caterer known for their delicious flavors and impeccable presentations, are accompanied by “Miss Florence’s Tea,” a special blend from Sundial Gardens in Higginum.

Miss Florence’s Tea is a special blend of superior Ceylon and China black tea enhanced with a touch of delicate spices. The tea celebrates the camaraderie and creativity of the Lyme Art Colony with each cup. Teas are held Dec. 3 through 28 on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 3 to 5pm and Saturdays from 12 to 2pm and 3 to 5pm.

Other events and programs include special events for families, including a visit from Frozen sisters Elsa and Anna and hands-on crafts for children and adults.

Unique gifts from The Shop and memberships to the Museum make thoughtful holiday and hostess gifts.

Located on a 12-acre site in the historic village of Old Lyme, the Florence Griswold Museum is known as the Home of American Impressionism. In addition to the restored Florence Griswold House, where the artists of the Lyme Art Colony lived, the Museum features a modern exhibition gallery, education center, landscape center, extensive gardens, and a restored artist’s studio.

The Museum is located at 96 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT, exit 70 off I-95 and is open year-round Tuesday through Saturday from 10am to 5pm and Sunday 1 to 5pm. The Museum is closed Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Admission is $10 for adults, $9 for seniors, $8 students, and free to children 12 and under. On Saturdays between November 30 through January 5, admission is only $5 when visitors bring in a non-perishable donation for the Shoreline Soup Kitchens and Pantries.

For more information, visit the Museum’s website at www.FlorenceGriswoldMuseum.org or call 860-434-5542 x 111.

Magic of Christmas Activities

Sunday, Dec. 1 at 2pm
Book Event
Director of Education and Outreach David D.J. Rau speaks about the publication Miss Florence’s Artist Trees: Celebrating a Tradition of Painted Palettes, which was published this October to commemorate the milestone of the 200^th palette added to Miss Florence’s Artists Trees this year. Please reserve your space in advance, $25 includes book. Register online at FlorenceGriswoldMuseum.org

Sundays, Dec. 1 through Jan. 5, 1-4pm
Joy in the Making
Each Sunday visitors can experience the joy of making a hand-made card or ornament during the weekly drop-in creative programs. Fun for all ages. This event is free with Museum admission and children 12 and under are free.

Dec. 1-24
Daily Specials in the Museum Shop
One day you might save on all books or art supplies, the next, maybe everything sparkly or all snowmen. Check FlorenceGriswoldMuseum.org for a calendar of items and days.

Dec. 3 through 28
Christmastime Teas
Tuesday through Saturday enjoy an elegant tea of savories and sweets overlooking the wintery splendor of the Lieutenant River. Catered by Gourmet Galley. Guests enjoy a 10% discount in The Shop. $40. Reservations required, please call 860-434-5542 x 111 for information and reservations.

Elsa and Anna are always popular performers at the Museum.

Saturday, Dec. 7
Elsa and Anna perform at the Museum
Visitors can enjoy holiday crafting between visits from the beloved sisters. Shows at noon, 1pm, and 2pm. This program is included with Museum admission, and visitors 12 and under are always free.

Thursday, Dec. 12, 5:30 to 7pm
Art•Bar Happy Hour
Combine creativity and cocktails! Enjoy an evening of Christmastime crafting. All materials provided. Get friends together or come make new ones! For adults 21+. $25. Register online at FlorenceGriswoldMuseum.org

Sunday, Dec. 15 at 2pm
Gallery Talk
Director of Education and Outreach David D.J. Rau speaks about Miss Florence’s Artist Trees in the Gallery. This event is free with Museum admission.

Sunday, Dec. 29 from 1 to 4pm
Miss Florence’s Birthday Party
Visitors share in this hands-on-creative celebration of Miss Florence’s Christmas Day birthday. Enjoy a piece of birthday cake while making an assortment of fun craft projects. Fun (and free!) balloon sculptures by April’s Balloon Creations. This program is included with Museum admission, and visitors 12 and under are always free.

Faith Leitner will play her harp Sunday, Dec. 29, in the Florence Griswold Museum to celebrate “An Ode to the New Year.”

Sunday, Dec. 29, from 1 to 4pm
Ode to the New Year: Harp Music by Faith Leitner
The harp was Miss Florence’s favorite instrument. Visitors can see the one her father brought back for her from England in the Florence Griswold House. Accomplished harpist Faith Leitner will perform in the gallery. A beautiful way to end the year! This program is included with Museum admission, and visitors 12 and under are always free.

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

It’s Small Business Saturday, so Shop Local Today!

November 30, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

Launched by American Express in 2010, when small businesses were suffering from an economy in a recession, Small Business Saturday was created to encourage people to Shop Small and take more holiday shopping to all the local businesses that make our communities strong.

Our friends at the-e-list have prepared a list of local businesses offering special deals for Small Business Saturday, which you can find at this link.

Lyme Art Association is offering 10 percent off all art today during Small Business Saturday.

We “stole” the image at left from our friends at Dina Varano in Chester, who are offering a complimentary $20 gift card when you purchase a $100 gift certificate through tomorrow (Dec. 1) in celebration of Small Business Saturday.

Filed Under: Lyme, Old Lyme

Lyme-Old Lyme HS Senior Builds Benches For OL Land Trust’s Lohmann Preserve as Eagle Scout Project

November 29, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

Old Lyme Land Trust Secretary Anne Galliher stands with Boy Scout Alec Russell during the dedication ceremony for the benches built by Russell as part of his Eagle Scout project.

OLD LYME — Anyone who has visited the John Lohmann CT River Preserve recently has undoubtedly noticed the two new cedar benches. These were built as the Eagle Scout project of Alec Russell of Boy Scout Association Troop 240. Alec is a senior at Lyme-Old Lyme High School.

Russell proposed and planned this service project, organized a work team, secured donations of material from United Building Supply and Laysville Hardware. He worked with his team of adults and fellow scouts to build the benches, using cedar for its weather, insect and decay resistance.

One bench is on the riverfront where it offers views of Essex and Lords Cove year round. The other is at the top of the path leading down to the river.

The inscription on one of the benches built by Alec Russell for the Lohmann Preserve in Old Lme.

The bench commissioning celebration was held on a blustery riverside day but that did not deter a hardy group of Old Lyme Land Trust members, scouts and the Russell family from enjoying the views and warm beverages. The neighbors at Long River Farm loaned their ATV to bring in the provisions.

The benches are located in an area that is being reforested with pitch pine, a species used extensively in early days for ship building and railroad ties. Pitch pine has become scarce in Connecticut and has a particular preference for its habitat. On advice of the Connecticut River Gateway Commission and forest managers, about 20 hardwood trees were removed by Yankee Tree to encourage growth of the pines.

The John Lohmann Preserve and all other Old Lyme Land Trust preserves are always open and available for public use for hiking and enjoying the outdoors in Old Lyme.

Filed Under: Old Lyme, Outdoors, Top Story

See ‘The Magic of Christmas,’ Meet Santa at the Flo Gris Museum Today

November 29, 2019 by Admin Leave a Comment

Mett Santa at the Florence Griswold Museum on Friday.

OLD LYME — The Florence Griswold Museum’s ever popular Magic of Christmas celebrations begin Friday with the arrival of St. Nick dressed in his Victorian finery. This is the perfect chance to tell the man of North Pole your Christmas wishes (and take pictures), before touring the holiday decorations throughout the Museum.

Santa visits will be held from 10 a.m. through 12 p.m. and 1 to 3 p.m. Meanwhile, hands-on holiday crafts will be offered in the Education Center from 11 a.m. through 4 p.m. Both are free with Museum admission

Filed Under: Old Lyme