Monthly Archives: August 2020

FloGris Museum Offers Free Webinar on ‘History in the Impressionist Landscape,’ Wednesday

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Lucien Abrams (1870–1941), The Orchard, 1916, Oil on canvas, 26 1/8 x 32 1/8 in. Florence Griswold Museum, Gift of Mrs. Lucien Abrams.

OLD LYME — Join Florence Griswold Museum Curator Amy Kurtz Lansing Wednesday, Aug. 12 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. for a highlights tour that reveals the presence of multiple histories in landscape paintings by the Lyme Impressionists.

Learn about ties between Native Americans, European settlers, enslaved peoples, and the lands depicted.

The lecture is free and takes place virtually via GoTo Webinar. A link will be sent upon registration.

Old Lyme First Selectman Signs Local Declaration of Emergency

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Old Lyme First Selectman Timothy Griswold

OLD LYME — Yesterday, Friday, Aug. 7, Old Lyme First Selectman Timothy Griswold signed a local Declaration of Emergency.

As at 4 p.m. this afternoon (Saturday), Eversource reports that 7.54 percent of Old Lyme are still without power and the equivalent number for Lyme is 14.13 percent.

Old Lyme Emergency Management Services issued the following update at 12 p.m. (noon) yesterday (Saturday, Aug. 8.)

Restoration Status

Currently 10% of residents remain without power, specifically, 548 residents do not have power. The majority of outages are in the same affected areas including Hillcrest, Browns Lane, Mile Creek Road, McCurdy Road, Boston Post Road, Neck Road and Binney Road.

Town crews will continue next week to clear remaining roads and remove storm debris. Please be reminded that the town crew are not doing curb side pick-up of storm debris. Residents can take their storm debris to the Transfer Station on Four Mile River Road from now until August 15th. There is a fee for contractors and landscapers.

AVOID downed power lines, they should be considered live. AVOID blocked roads.

DO NOT remove cones or barricades.

To report your outage to Eversource call 1-800-286-2000. Please continue to do this to keep your residence in their restoration lists.

We have added an opportunity for residents to text us directly to let us know of their power status. Please go to go the Old Lyme Emergency Management on Facebook to for more information.

Today, 08/08/2020: Crews are working in the Wood Ridge Hills, Browns Lane, Hillcrest Rd., Smith Neck Rd., and Binney Rd. areas.

Last night, 08/07/2020: Eversource crew continued to work in the Browns Lane and Mile Creek Road area along with working on the McCurdy and Neck Road Circuits.

Town wide telephone and internet service is being restored. If you experience problems with your provider, please reach out to them directly.

Safety

To those still using generators, please operate your unit safely and away from your home’s windows, doors and ventilation devices. Never operate your generator indoors. Secure portable generators if possible.

Lock your cars and homes, and keep a watch out for your neighbors. Be aware of phone scams and use reputable contractors for storm clean up. All public utility workers will have proper ID.

Remember to dispose of spoiled food.

To get up to date storm information, please text OLSTORM to 888-777 to opt into our new communications tool or continue to follow us at Old Lyme Emergency Management on Facebook and Twitter.

Charging Stations and Potable Water Stations (bring your own containers)

Charging stations are still available to charge your cell phones or electronic devices, or if you need potable water at:

The Respite Center at the Lymes’ Senior Center at 26 Town Woods Rd, the Old Lyme Police Department at 294 Shore Rd., and at the Boughton Rd. Fire Station at 189 Boston Post Rd.

– Please do not leave your items unattended.

 

As at 10:30 a.m. yesterday morning (Saturday), Eversource reports that 9.95 percent of Old Lyme are still without power and the equivalent number for Lyme is 23.42 percent.

Old Lyme Emergency Services issued the following storm update at 7 p.m. yesterday evening:

Restoration Status

Currently 25% of residents remain without power, specifically, 1328 residents remain out of power. The majority of outages are in the same affected areas including Browns Lane, Mile Creek, McCurdy Road Boston Post Road and Neck Road.

Town crews continue to clear remaining roads and remove storm debris. Please be reminded that town crew is not doing curb side pick-up of storm debris. Residents can take their storm debris to the Transfer Station on Four Mile River Road.

AVOID downed power lines, they should be considered live.

AVOID blocked roads

DO NOT remove cones or barricades.

To report your outage to Eversource call 1-800-286-2000. Please continue to do this to keep your residence in their restoration lists.

We have added an opportunity for residents to text us directly to let us know of their power status. Please go to go the Old Lyme Emergency Management on Facebook for more information.

Friday evening, 08/07/2020: Eversource crew will be working in the Browns Lane and Mile Creek Road area along with working on McCurdy and Neck Road Circuits.

Friday, 08/07/20

Road clearing was completed on Grassy Hill Rd., Ferry Rd at RT.156, Griswold Ave., and Homestead Circle.

Town wide telephone and internet service is being restored. If you experience problems with your provider, please reach out to them directly.

Safety

The Fire Department still continues to respond to a large number of carbon monoxide calls.

Please operate your generator safely and away from your home’s windows, doors and ventilation devices. Never operate your generator indoors. Secure portable generators if possible.

Lock your cars and homes, and keep a watch out for your neighbors. Be aware of phone scams and use reputable contractors for storm clean up. All public utility workers will have proper ID.

To report your outage to Eversource call 1-800-286-2000.

Remember to dispose of spoiled food.

Charging Stations and Potable Water Stations (bring your own containers)

To charge your cell phones or electronic devices, or if you need potable water, the following outdoor locations are available 24 hrs. a day until further notice:

  • The Respite Center at the Lymes’ Senior Center at 26 Town Woods Rd.
  • The Old Lyme Police Department at 294 Shore Rd.
  • The Boughton Rd. Fire Station at 189 Boston Post Rd.
  • Please do not leave your items unattended.

Storm Debris Removal

Do not put storm debris in the road, it is unsafe and will not be picked up.

Residents wishing to dispose of storm debris can do so at no charge at the Transfer Station on Four Mile River Rd., from now until August 15th. There is a fee for contractors and landscapers.

Other Services

Nine-Town Transit is operating on a full route and regular schedule.

Garbage and Recycling services are operational. Do not put storm debris in the garbage or recycling cans. Debris should be brought to the Transfer Station on Four Mile River Rd.

For those in need of assistance, the Old Lyme Emergency Management Call Center will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Call 860-598-0120.

To get up-to-date storm information, text OLSTORM to 888-777 and follow Old Lyme Emergency Management on Facebook and Twitter.

Old Lyme Emergency Services, Town of Lyme Give Latest Isaias Updates

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Tree down on Sill Ln. in Old Lyme. Photo by Kirsten Goiangos.

LYME/OLD LYME — UPDATED 3:01pm: Eversource reports that the outage level in Old Lyme is now down to 31.62 percent while in Lyme, it stands at 41.34 percent.

Old Lyme Emergency Management Services issued the following update at 12 p.m. (noon) today.

If you have an emergency, dial 911.

Restoration Status

Today, Aug. 7, 2020 the First Selectman signed a local Declaration of Emergency.

37.2% of residents remain without power. Specifically, 1993 residents remain out of power. The majority of outages are in the same affected areas.

Town crews and utilities are prioritizing roads which have downed trees and wires.

AVOID downed power lines, they should be considered live.

AVOID blocked roads  

DO NOT remove cones or barricades.

To report your outage to Eversource call 1-800-286-2000.

Today, 08/07/20

Road clearing is underway at Grassy Hill Rd., Ferry Rd at RT.156, Griswold Ave., and Homestead Circle.

On Thursday, 08/06/20, power was restored to lower Four Mile River Rd., Hatchetts Hill Rd., The upper end of Shore Rd. (RT. 156).  Tree crews cleared Ferry Rd. and Four Mile River Rd.

Work continued overnight to restore lines in Flat Rock Hill, Browns Lane and Mile Creek Rd. areas. We anticipate power being restored to portions of RT. 156 and Townwoods Rd., and the lower portion of Shore Rd. to Townwoods Rd.

On Wednesday, 08/05/20, power was restored to Halls Rd., portions of Lyme St. and the upper end of Shore Rd., and portions of Boston Post Rd.

Town wide telephone and internet service is being restored.

Safety

The Fire Department still continues to respond to a large number of carbon monoxide calls.

Please operate your generator safely and away from your home’s windows, doors and ventilation devices. Never operate your generator indoors. Secure portable generators if possible.

Lock your cars and homes, and keep a watch out for your neighbors. Be aware of phone scams and use reputable contractors for storm clean up. All public utility workers will have proper ID.

To report your outage to Eversource call 1-800-286-2000.

Remember to dispose of spoiled food.

Charging Stations and Potable Water Stations (bring your own containers)

To charge your cell phones or electronic devices, or if you need potable water, the following outdoor locations are available 24 hrs. a day until further notice:

  • The Respite Center at the Lymes’ Senior Center at 26 Town Woods Rd.
  • The Old Lyme Police Department at 294 Shore Rd.
  • The Boughton Rd. Fire Station at 189 Boston Post Rd.
  • Please do not leave your items unattended.

Storm Debris Removal

Do not put storm debris in the road, it is unsafe and will not be picked up.

Residents wishing to dispose of storm debris can do so at no charge at the Transfer Station on Four Mile River Rd., from now until August 15th. There is a fee for contractors and landscapers.

Other Services

9-Town Transit is operating on a full route and regular schedule.

Garbage and Recycling services are operational. Do not put storm debris in the garbage or recycling cans. Debris should be brought to the Transfer Station on Four Mile River Rd.

For those in need of assistance, the Old Lyme Emergency Management Call Center will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Call 860-598-0120.

To get up to date storm information follow Old Lyme Emergency Management on Facebook and Twitter.

Blocked driveway on Sterling City Rd. in Lyme. Photo by Paul Hallwood.

This is the latest storm update from the Town of Lyme.

Tropical Storm Isaias has done considerable damage to the Connecticut power grid and caused numerous road closures.  Connecticut currently has about 600,000 residents without power.

Power Outage Impacts

  • The Town of Lyme is presently 98% without power and the best guess is this situation could last three or more days for primary electric circuits and longer for secondary circuits.
  • Town Hall is operational with internet service, but without phones.
  • The Public Library is closed until power is restored.
  • The Hamburg Fire Station and Town Garage are without phones and being powered by generator.
  • Potable water is available outside the Hamburg Fire Station, along with a charging station for residents who may need to recharge their phones. Access inside the station and to the showers previously available in better times are not open due to the COVID restrictions.

Road Closures

  • There are numerous trees and electrical wires down on many town roads.
  • All tree removal possible has been accomplished by the Town Crew. What remains to be cleared must be addressed by Eversource crews and they are hard to find.
  • Wires may still be energized, so please stay away from downed wires and do not drive over any wires on roads.
  • Roads that are impassable or with unsafe sections include:
    • Salem Road
    • Beaver Brook Road
    • Blood Street
    • Honey Hill Road
    • Sterling City Road
    • Old Hamburg Road
    • Tantumorantum Road
    • Mt. Archer and Brush Hill intersection
    • Mt. Archer and Honey Hill Lane intersection
  • 156 (a state road) is passable but with many trees/wires closing one lane. Be cautious as they are not marked adequately.
  • 148 (Ferry Road) is blocked close to Hadlyme Four Corners.

We suggest caution and patience as we wait for Eversource to reach the small towns.

CT’s Primary is Tuesday; Have You Completed, Sent In Your Absentee Ballot? Do You Know Where, When to Vote in Person?

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LYME/OLD LYME — Connecticut’s Primary takes place next Tuesday. Hopefully everyone who requested an Absentee Ballot has now received it

For many Lyme and Old Lyme residents, this may be the first time voting by absentee ballot.  Based on the information that Town Clerks received from the state, there will be three pieces inside the absentee-ballot packet:

  • the ballot;
  • an inner envelope (which you must sign and date); and
  • a blank outer envelope (for returning the above materials).

Town Clerks have been informed by the State that the instructions included in the absentee-ballot packet may incorrectly refer to a serially numbered envelope.  This is, in essence, a typo – as neither the inner nor outer envelope has a serial number.

Instructions for Completing Your Absentee Ballot

Based on the information received by the Town Clerks, these are the correct instructions to follow:

  • After filling out your ballot, insert the ballot in the inner envelope.
  • Sign and date the inner envelope. The most important thing to remember to do is to sign and date the inner envelope where indicated. Failure to do so will result in the ballot being rejected.
  • After signing and dating the inner envelope, insert it inside the larger outer envelope (the blank envelope).
  • Your ballot is now ready to be returned.

Instructions for Returning Your Absentee Ballot

To return your absentee ballot:

The official Ballot Box outside Lyme Town Hall. Photo courtesy of the Town of Lyme website.

FOR LYME RESIDENTS

  • You may walk into Lyme Town Hall and hand it to the Town Clerk.
  • You may mail it using the U.S. Postal Service. Ballots returned by mail must be received by the Town Clerk by 8:00 p.m. on Aug. 11.
  • You may insert it in the Official Ballot Drop Box located on the edge of the sidewalk at Lyme Town Hall. (See photo at left.)

Do not return your ballot via the mail slot in the door of Lyme Town Hall.

Please note that the Official Ballot Drop Box is for completed ballots only.  No other material should be deposited in the drop box.  You should only deposit your ballot in the Town of Lyme drop box if you are a resident of Lyme.  Do not drop your ballot in the drop box of any other town.

Voters who have questions on absentee voting are welcome to contact the Lyme Town Clerk at 860-434-7733 during regular business hours.

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

FOR OLD LYME RESIDENTS

To return your absentee ballot:

  • You may walk into Old Lyme Town Hall and hand it to the clerk at our front desk.
  • You may mail it using the U.S. Postal Service. Ballots returned by mail must be received by the Town Clerk by 8:00 p.m. on Aug. 11.
  • You may insert it in the Official Ballot Drop Box located in front of the Old Lyme Town Hall. (See photo at right.)

Do not return your ballot via the mail slot in the door of Old Lyme Town Hall.

Please note that the Official Ballot Drop Box is for completed ballots only.  No other material should be deposited in the drop box.  You should only deposit your ballot in the Town of Old Lyme drop box if you are a voter of Old Lyme.  Do not drop your ballot in the drop box of any other town.  Voters who have questions on absentee voting are welcome to contact the Old Lyme Town Clerk at 860-434-1605 x 220 and x 221 during regular business hours.

FOR BOTH TOWNS

If at all possible, residents are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to return a completed ballot via the Official Ballot Drop Box rather than mailing it via the U. S. Postal Service.  There are only a few days left until the primary, and this will ensure that the ballot is in Town Hall when it needs to be, in order to be counted.

In-Person Voting

FOR LYME RESIDENTS

For voters who do not plan to vote by absentee ballot and prefer to vote in person, the polls at Town Hall will be open on Tuesday, Aug. 11, from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

FOR OLD LYME RESIDENTS

For voters who do not plan to vote by absentee ballot and prefer to vote in person, the polls at our new location at the Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School gymnasium, 53 Lyme Street, Old Lyme will be open on Tuesday, Aug. 11, from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

FOR BOTH LOCATIONS

Masks will be required and social distancing will be observed.

Winning Against Water Chestnut: Volunteers Clear Hadlyme’s Selden Cove, Creek Of New Plants

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LYME — (from a press release issued by Friends of Whalebone Cove) The two-year community effort by volunteers to save Hadlyme’s Selden Cove and Selden Creek from being covered by a carpet of invasive water chestnut plants is achieving success.

After three “Paddle & Pull” work parties involving 25 volunteers in June and July, an inspection of Selden Cove and Creek last Thursday revealed almost no new plants have emerged in the last week. See photo below.

As a result, Friends of Whalebone Cove (FOWC) cancelled the “Paddle & Pull” work party scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 5.

Last year at this time a large portion of Selden Cove was covered by 5,000 – 7,000 square feet of water chestnut. See photo at head of article.

The FOWC has organized a total of 13 “Paddle & Pull” work parties in 2019 and 2020 involving almost 60 volunteers, who have put in more than 200 hours to remove water chestnut plants from both the Cove and the Creek.

Diana Fiske, FOWC President, expressed gratitude to all the volunteers who have pitched in to save Selden Cove and Selden Creek, saying, “It takes a village … There are so many people to thank for this effort. You know who you are, but I want to personally thank each and every one of you myself and thank the Connecticut River Conservancy for its support that has been critical in our work.”

She concluded, “Thank you all!”

Water chestnut — which dramatically impacts marine and upland wildlife anywhere it gets established — has invaded and taken over many other locations in the Connecticut River.

Friends of Whalebone Cove has managed to prevent water chestnut from getting established in Whalebone Cove and wants to reclaim those parts of Selden Cove where it has gotten a permanent foothold in recent years, because if it is allowed to spread, it is hard to eradicate and will change the ecology the two fresh water tidal wetlands and destroy the habitat eco-systems which species that live in the area rely on to survive.

Water chestnut is an annual plant, but its seeds can remain viable for 12 years, and each plant has enough seeds to produce 300 new plants in a future year.

This means that Selden Cove and Selden Creek will need to be monitored for the next two months for “late emerging” plants, and there will need to be volunteer work parties in future years to remove newly emerging plants from latent seeds dropped in prior years that could start massive new infestations.

Future “Paddle & Pull” work party dates scheduled in Selden Cove are:

August
Thursday 8/20 – 12 Noon
Rain Date: Fri. 8/21 – 1 p.m.

September
Thursday  9/3 – 12 Noon
Rain Date: Fri. 9/4 – 1 p.m.
Tuesday 9/29 – 9AM
Rain Date: Wed. 9/30 – 10 a.m.

If you would like to volunteer to help FOWC, send an email to: fowchadlyme@gmail.com