Monthly Archives: July 2020

Neviaser Confirms Lyme-Old Lyme Schools Will Reopen Fully in Fall, Assuming No Change in COVID Count; Parent Survey Indicates Overwhelming Support

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Lyme-Old Lyme Schools Curriculum Director Michelle Dean responds to a question during Wednesday evening’s ‘Community Conversation.’

LYME/OLD LYME — “We are not planning to go to a hybrid plan.”

That was Lyme-Old Lyme (LOL) Schools Superintendent Ian Neviaser’s response when asked Wednesday evening if LOL Schools were going to change their reopening plans for the fall in light of Governor Lamont’s recent decision no longer to mandate that schools in Connecticut must fully reopen in the fall. This change of heart by Lamont allows the option for schools to implement hybrid plans (a combination of in-school and remote learning.)

Neviaser spoke to LymeLine by phone after moderating the first of two ‘Community Conversations’ hosted by LOL Schools in which parents were able to discuss reopening plans with key members of school administration and faculty in a virtual Zoom event. He stressed during the ‘Community Conversation’ and while talking to LymeLine that the plan to re-open schools fully, “Assumes the health data remains the same.”

If the local health department were to advise, “an increase in the number of cases in the school community,” or the community in general had occurred, the plan would be reviewed immediately with health department and might then be changed.

Lyme-Old Lyme Schools Superintendent Ian Neviaser moderates Wednesday’s ‘Community Conversation.’

Noting that it was some of the larger towns and school districts, which had been resistant to Lamont’s original plan to reopen all schools fully, Neviaser noted that because Lyme-Old Lyme is a smaller school district, “We can work safely [within the social distancing and other requirements.] We have the data to support it,” whereas larger schools do not have the space to accommodate them.

Neviaser told LymeLine that his “general take” on whether parents in Lyme and Old Lyme wanted to send their children back to school was that they were “very eager” to do so and therefore the district was “working hard to make that happen.” His opinion was based not only on what he heard during the ‘Community Conversation’ but also from the responses to the parent survey sent out after the district had submitted its Reopening Plan to the state.

That survey had yielded more than 350 responses from parents and approximately 90 percent of those indicated, “Families plan on sending their kids back to school,” said Neviaser.

Asked how the teaching staff felt about resuming to in-school teaching, Neviaser responded, “They’re very supportive,” adding, “More than 65 people worked on preparing the reopening plans for the district and the majority of those were staff members.”

Emphasizing again that, “The plan is flexible and will change if the health data changes, ” Neviaser concluded that as of now,”The general consensus is very positive. People recognize we all need to work together. The vast majority is being very supportive and helpful,” adding encouragingly,  “Really, they’re being wonderful about it.”

Editor’s Note: We talked at some length Wednesday evening with Superintendent Neviaser about how the LOL School sports program might look in the fall but he noted a plan was being sent out from the state within the next few days. The plan has just been received and so we will write an article incorporating that latest information shortly.

 

Old Lyme’s Confirmed COVID Cases Reduced to 21 Plus Two Fatalities; Lyme Constant at Six

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Photo by CDC on Unsplash

LYME/OLD LYME — Today, we have received a correction from Old Lyme First Selectman Tim Griswold in consultation with Ledge Light Health District (LLHD) to the Old Lyme data, which we were previously given. The number of cases attributed to Old Lyme has been reduced to 21, while fatalities remain at two.

We have adjusted our records accordingly and present the revised numbers below.

Meanwhile, Ledge Light Health District confirmed to LymeLine.com in an email Tuesday evening (July 28) that five new COVID-19 cases have been identified in Lyme taking the cumulative total in that town to six.

Stephen Mansfield, LLHD Director of Health, gave the following details of the confirmed cases in Lyme to date:

  1. Male, age 34
  2. Female, age 61
  3. Female, age 34
  4. Male, age 1
  5. Male, age 34
  6. Male, age 20

Mansfield confirmed that the 34-year-old male in the list above is the original case, which had been previously identified.

Earlier Thursday, July 28, Griswold notified LymeLine by text that a new case of COVID-19 had also been confirmed in Old Lyme. This latest case is a 20-year-old male.

This is the 21st confirmed COVID-19 case in Old Lyme; in addition, there are two fatalities. Nine of these surviving cases are male and the remaining 12 are female. The two fatalities were a 61-year-old female and an 83-year-old male.

Yesterday, in a press release, Governor Ned Lamont and Department of Public Health (DPH) Acting Commissioner Dr. Deidre S. Gifford expressed concern with recent COVID-19 outbreak clusters among teens and young adults in Connecticut, stating, “Statistics from Connecticut and elsewhere show that 18 to 29-year-olds represent substantial numbers of new COVID-19 infections in recent weeks.” Both Lyme and Old Lyme have recent cases of 20-year-olds testing positive for COVID-19.

To demonstrate the growth in confirmed COVID-19 cases in Old Lyme, the table below is a summary of the cases that LymeLine.com has reported since March 31 when the first case was announced and also includes both fatalities.

[table id=3 /]

Details of all Old Lyme’s confirmed surviving cases to date are now as follows:

  1. Female, age 64
  2. Female, age 21
  3. Male, age 27
  4. Female, age 53
  5. Female, age 61
  6. Female, age 29
  7. Male, age 40
  8. Male, age 53
  9. Female, age 60
  10. Male, age 45
  11. Female, age 20
  12. Female, age 43
  13. Female, age 48
  14. Male, age 70
  15. Male, age 67
  16. Female, age 68
  17. Male, age 50
  18. Male, age 21
  19. Female, age 48
  20. Female, age 34
  21. Male, age 20

Griswold has previously noted that the 21-year-old female with a confirmed case (#2 in the list immediately above) was tested in Florida, but used an Old Lyme address although she does not live here. Because she gave the Old Lyme address, Griswold said that Ledge Light Health District must report her as an Old Lyme resident.

Old Lyme Voters Will Use New Location for Aug. 11 Primary

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The official Ballot Box outside Old Lyme Town Hall. Photo courtesy of the Old Lyme Selectman’s Office.

LYME/OLD LYME –Democratic and Republican Primaries, including Presidential Primaries, will be held Tuesday, Aug. 11.

Voting will take place from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School for Old Lyme residents and Lyme Town Hall for Lyme residents.

Residents who applied for an Absentee Ballot for this primary should have received it earlier this week.

As these are primaries, individuals must be registered in either the Democratic or Republican party to be eligible to vote. The deadline has passed for an enrolled elector to transfer from one party to another to be eligible to vote in the Presidential Primary.

If you are a new voter and wish to enroll in a party to vote in the primary, mail-in applications must be postmarked, or received by the Registrar of Voters by/on Aug. 6, 2020.

If you are an unaffiliated voter and wish to enroll in a party, the mail-in application must be received (not simply postmarked) by the Registrar of Voters by/on Aug. 6, 2020.

The in-person enrollment deadline for new voters and unaffiliated voters enrolling in a party at town hall is Aug. 10, 2020 at 12 p.m.

Absentee ballots can either be mailed to the respective town hall or dropped off in the official ballot drop box. This latter method allows a contact-less and secure method to submit your ballot.

Old Lyme has relocated its polling place from the Cross Lane Firehouse to the Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School gymnasium at 53 Lyme St., Old Lyme, where there is ample parking. Lyme’s polling place remains at Lyme Town Hall.

For further information, contact the Lyme Town Clerk at 860-434-7733 or the Old Lyme Town Clerk’s office at 860-434-1605 x 220 or x 221 or visit the Town of Lyme website or the Town of Old Lyme website.

A la Carte: Last Week, Pesto, This Week, Pasta … But ‘e Fagiole!’

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Lee White

It was a nice week: a little rain, a lot of sunshine, my first trip to the beach and low humidity. One evening, friends and I had dinner at Filomena’s, outside under a big tent, and listened to the New London Big Band, minus about six members, play mellow jazz. The decibels of the speakers were just right, it threatened to rain but didn’t and the food, as usual, was yummy.

I cooked quite a bit at home, on the grill and even in the kitchen, since my condo is air-conditioned. I also spent some time at two different farm markets. At my CSA, I got carrots, blue green beans, some lettuces, flowers and some cheese.

At the Groton Farm Market in Washington Park, I bought some cranberry beans, basil and tomatoes. I asked whether the tomatoes at Whittles were local, and she said they were their own. “We don’t have many yet, but these are our own,” she explained. I was very surprised; this is the first time I can remember when local tomatoes arrived before sweet corn.

When I got home I tasted one of the tomatoes and there was no doubt it was local. As I made myself my first summer BLT, I thought what I might make with some of my harvest and I found pasta e fagiole (pasta and beans) that I had written about in 2005.

I looked up cranberry beans and saw that it took under half an hour until they softened. I found pepperoni links, some canned cannellini beans, ground beef and pepperoni in the freezer and a big can of fire-roasted Muir Glen diced tomatoes. I had frozen my own basil pesto and decided I would use that instead of parsley. 

On Sunday afternoon, I made the pasta and beans. It was really good, maybe even better than before, since so many of the ingredients were so fresh.

If you have air-conditioner, make it now. If not, save that recipe for fall or winter. 

Pasta e Fagiole

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, diced
A handful of baby carrots, diced into small pieces
3 stalks celery, diced small
1 pound ground beef (optional)
½ pound pepperoni, thinly sliced (optional)
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
About half of pound of cranberry beans, cooked
About half of pound of blue green beans, cut into 1 inch slices
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes (preferably Muir Glen but another will do)
1 small can tomato paste
2 tablespoons basil pesto (optional, but delicious)
2 cups water
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
½ pound pasta (ditalini, tubetini or small elbow macaroni), cooked
freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or romano cheese

In a large heavy-bottomed pot, brown onion. garlic and carrots in olive oil until light golden. Stir in celery and continue cooking until celery is tender. If using ground beef, add and cook until no longer pink. If using pepperoni, add now. Stir in beans, tomatoes, tomato paste and water.   Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer, cover and cook about half an hour, stirring occasionally. Add salt and pepper, to taste, and parsley. Add pasta to soup and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan or Romano.

About the author: Lee White has been writing about restaurants and cooking since 1976 and has been extensively published in the Worcester (Mass.) Magazine, The Day, Norwich Bulletin, and Hartford Courant. She currently writes Nibbles and a cooking column called A La Carte for LymeLine.com and also for the Shore Publishing and Times newspapers, both of which are owned by The Day.

Deadline to Complete Old Lyme’s Walk Audit, Online ​Walk/Bike Survey, July 31

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Where do you go on your bike in Old Lyme? Complete the Sustainable Old Lyme ​Walk/Bike Survey to help the Sustainable Old Lyme Committee in their work.

OLD LYME — UPDATED 7/31 — edits in red: Do you like to walk or bike around Old Lyme?

If so, the Sustainable Old Lyme Committee would like more information about how you enjoy the town while walking or bicycling.

A new feature is now available for those who like to walk on Lyme Street in the form of a paper Walk Audit, which asks about the experience of walking along Lyme Street between the Lyme Academy of Fine Arts and the Town Green (at the junction with Ferry Rd.)

The Walk Audit is available at Old Lyme Town Hall and at shops along the route — no computer required!

But if you prefer to use a computer, there are two options: the Walk Audit is available online at this link. When completed, it should be printed out and returned either to the Old Lyme Town Hall at 52 Lyme St. or The Chocolate Shell at 18 Lyme St.

The second option is an online Old Lyme ​Walk and Bike Survey, which asks more general questions about your experience walking and biking in the community. The survey is available at this link.

The committee wants to hear from everybody, but especially from those who are older or who have special needs.  The questionnaires are short (20 questions) and all questions are optional.

The survey and walk audit will be available until TODAY, July 31.

During the Old Lyme Board of Selectmen’s meeting held July 6, Selectwoman Mary Jo Nosal urged as many residents as possible to complete the survey. She explained later to LymeLine.com in a phone conversation that the objective of the survey is to, “Provide evidence to help make Old Lyme more walkable and bicycle-friendly.”

For more information about Sustainable Connecticut, visit ​https://sustainablect.org.

Contact the survey organizers through that website or email them at rogerslakehealth@gmail.com​ or ​walkauditol@gmail.com​.