Monthly Archives: December 2020

Dec. 10 COVID Update: Old Lyme Confirmed Cases Rise to 102, Lyme Holds at 28; Latest Weekly Report Issued by Ledge Light Today

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Photo by CDC on Unsplash

LYME/OLD LYME — UPDATED Dec.11, 12;30pm: In light of the serious rise in Coronavirus cases, we have started a new daily update reporting confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases in Lyme and Old Lyme. The state is now issuing a COVID-19 metric report daily around 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, which includes current data up to the previous evening.

Ledge Light Health Department (LLHD) issued their most recent Weekly COVID-19 Report this morning, Friday, Dec. 11.

Stephen Mansfield, LLHD Director of Health, prefaces the report with this statement, “Our contact tracers continue to report that they have observed many COVID cases associated with family and social gatherings, as well as a significant increase in cases associated with long term care and assisted living facilities. We encourage everyone to remain diligent and take appropriate precautions throughout this holiday season.”

The report shows that in the past two weeks, Old Lyme had 19 new confirmed cases and Lyme less than five.

It also details that 779 Old Lyme residents had molecular tests and antigen tests in the past two weeks while the equivalent number for Lyme residents was 232.

The report offers this link to the Connecticut COVID Data Portal, which provides centralized access to data on the COVID-19 emergency and response.

The next Weekly Report from LLHD is due Friday, Dec. 18. 

The Daily Data Report for Connecticut issued Thursday, Dec. 10, by the Connecticut Department of Public Health (CT DPH) for data as at 8:30 p.m. Dec. 9, shows the following:

Both Lyme and Old Lyme remain in the state-identified ‘Red Zone,’ defined as when the Average Daily Rate of COVID-19 Cases Among Persons Living in Community Settings per 100,000 Population By Town exceeds 15. This rate does not include cases or tests among residents of nursing home, assisted living, or correctional facilities.

OLD LYME now has a cumulative total (since the outbreak began) of 102 confirmed COVID-19 cases.

This represents an increase of two confirmed cases over the 100 cases reported Wednesday, Dec. 9.  

The total number of Old Lyme residents tested is 3,350.

There have been two fatalities in Old Lyme.

The Dec. 10 report issued by CT DPH shows that during the two-week reporting period from 11/15 through 11/28, Old Lyme had 14 cases in Week 1 and six in Week 2. This data was updated Dec. 3.

The case rate in Old Lyme for 100,000 population is 19.4, reflecting a decrease from the previously reported two-week-rate of 23.3. A case rate of 15 or more cases per 100,000 population places a town in the state’s ‘Red Zone.’

LYME has a cumulative total (since the outbreak began) of 26 confirmed cases and two probable cases, making a total of 28 cases.

This represents no increase in the number of confirmed or probable cases over those reported Wednesday, Dec. 9.

There have been no fatalities in Lyme.

The total number of Lyme residents tested is 777.

The Dec. 10 report issued by CT DPH shows that during the two-week reporting period from11/15 through 11/28, Lyme had seven cases in Week 1 and one in Week 2. This data was updated Dec. 3.

The case rate in Lyme for 100,000 population is 24.4 reflecting an increase from the previously reported two-week-rate of 21.4.  A case rate of 15 or more cases per 100,000 population places a town in the state’s ‘Red Zone.’

Neither the LLHD nor the Connecticut Department of Health (CT DPH) reports give any details of the age of those infected, their gender, or the date the case was confirmed.

The COVID-19 metric report is issued by the state once per day, every Monday through Friday. The report that is issued each Monday contains combined data that was collected on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The state will issue its next report Friday, Dec. 11.

Lyme Academy Hosts Holiday Tree-Lighting This Evening, All Welcome

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Lyme Academy Instructor Rick Lacey assisted with the installation of last year’s holiday tree.

OLD LYME — Lyme Academy of Fine Arts will host its second Annual Holiday Tree-Lighting Friday, Dec. 11, from 5 to 5:30 p.m. in front of the historic Sill House on the Academy’s campus. All are welcome.

This event will bring the happiness of the holidays to Lyme Street with twinkling lights, festive music, and a small gift for children that attend.

Masks are mandatory and social distancing will be required, so it will not only be joyful but also safe.

Lyme Academy of Fine Arts is located at 84 Lyme St., Old Lyme.

 

A la Carte: Happy Hanukkah! Enjoy Latkes with Lee

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Lee White

It could be old age, or COVID, or rehabilitation with my new hip or nothing at all. But it feels as if my wonderful daughter was here for two days instead of two weeks. In any case, my new hip is perfect. My hip has given me a new lease on life. I was on my walker for a few days, onto my cane the next week and driving on the third. 

Thanksgiving was as perfect as that holiday can be without any of my family members together. My next-door neighbors and I shared a traditional meal and, for some reason, everything tasted better than it had been in other times. And, of course, there were the sandwiches. Wished I had not tossed off the stuffing by mistake.

My longest drive was to Madison, to see my sweet friends Lisa and Eric and their dog Lucy. We ate outside on a lovely day and when it got a little cooler, Eric plugged into a heat lamp. We ate Lisa’s quiche, roasted potatoes dusted with truffle oil and a bright, green salad of which I couldn’t have enough. Lisa says it is a white balsamic she gets from Fairway. Knowing her, a bottle will be in my mailbox soon.

Now the rest of the holidays are almost here.

Actually, Hanukkah started yesterday, Dec. 10, and so it is time for latkes.

Here is a recipe I have used for years. The recipe calls for using a hand grater for the onions and the onions, but I use a food processor. The only difficult part is wringing out the potato and onion water, but it is a small matter when you get to eat them.

And, by the way, latkes could be for any holiday, or no holiday itself, especially if you add these toppings from the new Food Magazine:

  • pastrami, warmed sauerkraut and spicy mustard
  • egg salad with chopped chives, dill and salmon roe
  • hummus, chopped Kalamata olives and chopped parsley
  • thinly sliced fennel and lemon juice
  • ricotta, a pinch of cayenne and honey
  • gravlax and crème fraiche
  • warmed refried beans, shredded, pickled jalapenos, sour cream and thinly sliced scallion.

Or, at our house, two big bowls of applesauce and sour cream!

My parents told me that whether people eat latkes with apple sauce or sour cream depends on whether their ancestors are from the (richer) German-Spanish-Austrian (apple sauce) or the less-classy Polish or Russian relatives (sour cream). Mine are from the less-classy relatives, but I love and serve both.

Latkes are traditionally served during Hanukkah … but Lee White says they can be served at any time! Photo by Mark Mitchell – Flickr: Potato Latkes, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=32143883

Latkes

Yield: serves 8 to 10

6 to 8 large russet potatoes
1 medium onion
2 large eggs
1/4  cup matzoh meal or flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
vegetable oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Peel potatoes and onions. Cut them into chunks that will feed in the feeding tube of the food processor. With the grating disk, grate potatoes and onions into food processor. Place grated potatoes and onions into a colander and push as much liquid out. Then (here’s the hard part), put grated potatoes and onion into a clean dish towel and squeeze, squeeze and squeeze. 

Put squeezed potatoes and onions into a bowl. Mix eggs, flour or matzoh meal and baking powder into the potatoes and onions. Add salt and pepper. 

Heat about an inch of oil into a skillet until fairly hot. Drop tablespoons of mixture into the skillet and fry, turning once. (I sometimes flatten the pancakes a bit.) Drain on paper towels.

You can keep the pancakes warm in a 250 degree oven until ready to serve, but I find that people want to eat them as soon as they come out of the skillet and drained.

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 the Shore Publishing and the Times newspapers, both of which are owned by The Day. She was a resident of Old Lyme for many years but now lives in Groton, Conn.

The Movie Man: ‘Jingle Jangle, A Christmas Journey – Perhaps a ‘Cult Classic,’ But No Way a ‘True Classic’

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Kevin Ganey is ‘The Movie Man.’

While Jingle Jangle A Christmas Journey provides spectacular visual effects, catchy songs, and lovable characters, I fear it will go down in film history as only a cult classic that is adequate at best.

The reason for this being just another Christmas film is the plot: Journey Jangle, granddaughter of legendary toymaker/inventor Jeronicus Jangle, seeks to restore faith in her grandfather, who has become disenchanted after his apprentice Gustafson had stolen his ideas decades earlier.

This is a recycled plot that has been used on a myriad of productions over the years. I could see each detail coming around its respective corner.

For the most part, the casting was great, except for one character: our antagonist, Gustafson, played by legendary comedian Keegan-Michael Key. Because Key has left such a wonderful impression as a goofy comedian, it was difficult for me to accept him portraying a driven villain.

While there are plenty of comedians who have triumphed in dramatic roles (think Robin Williams and Peter Sellers), I do not believe this is the role for which he will achieve that feat.

Don’t get me wrong: I enjoyed watching this flick, and I am sure that there are many who will want to screen it again each holiday season, but I have learned there is a clear difference between enjoying a movie, which is based on reaction, and praising it, which is rooted in artistic criticism.

I elaborated on this in one of my earlier reviews for Hubie Halloween.

Years from now, critics will not lump it together with other Christmas classics such as It’s a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Story, Elf, Home Alone, or even Die Hard.

So for those seeking simple entertainment, indulge … but for those seeking something bigger, look elsewhere!

About the Author: Though no longer a resident of Lyme, Kevin knows he can never sever his roots to the tree of his identity. When not attending to his job in Boston, he is committed to ensuring a better grasp of current (and past) releases of cinema to his home community as he strives to leave his own mark in the same field that has always been his guide to understanding life. If you enjoy his published reviews here on LymeLine.com, follow him on his new website at ‘The City of Cinema‘ and read more of his unique insights into entertainment.

Lyme-Old Lyme Schools Announce 2020-21 Q1 Honor Rolls

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Lyme-Old Lyme High School Quarter 1 Honor Roll 2020-21

HIGH HONORS
Grade 12:

Kaylee Armenia, Sonia Bair, Maxwell Bauchmann, Jason Beebe, Ava Berry, Emma Boardman, Sadie Bowman, Kyuss Buono, Kate Cheney, Hunter Collins, Jackson Cowell, Megan Cravinho, Patrick Dagher, Bianca Dasilva, Emily DeRoehn, Francette Donato, Corah Engdall, Sadie Frankel, Fiona Frederiks, Jackson Goulding, Emma Griffith, Grace Lathrop, Mackenzie Machnik, Elle McAraw, Emma McCulloch, Brendan McTigue, Brianna Melillo, Marina Melluzzo, Riley Nelson, Connie Pan, Lauren Pitt, Gavin Porter, Aidan Powers, Ezra Pyle, Julie Rudd, Hayden Saunders, Tait Sawden, Jesper Silberberg, Tessa St. Germain, Kassidy Standish, Jake Stewart, Lian Thompson, McKenzey Thompson, Kelly Walsh, Alison Ward, Ellery Zrenda

Grade 11:

Nicholas Adeletti, John Almy, Nihad Bicic, Hannah Britt, Evan Clark, Ryan Clark, Anne Colangelo, John Conley, Lauren Creagan, Caroline Crolius, Elise DeBernardo, Elias D’Onofrio, Elizabeth Duddy, Eleanor Dushin, Lauren Enright, Liam Fallon, Victoria Gage, Aiden Goiangos, Shawn Grenier, Nicolette Hallahan, Austin Halsey, Jackson Harris, Andrew Hedberg, Lillian Herrera, Fiona Hufford, Julia Johnston, Nevin Joshy, Kian Kardestuncer, Robyn King, Michael Klier, Felse Kyle, William Larson, Reese Maguire, Abigail Manthous, Stephanie Mauro, Emily Mesham, Evan Morgan, Samuel Mullaney, Elle Myers, Brendan O’Brien, Bella Orlando, Lauren Presti, Margaret Rommel, Aidan Russell, Frank Sablone, Calvin Scheiber, Abigail Sicuranza, Abby Speckhals, Drew St.Louis, Daniel Stack, Nikolai Stephens-Zumbaum, Victoria Stout, Maverick Swaney, Madison Thompson, Aidan Ward, Melanie Warren, Ellie Wells, Aden Wilson, Paige Winchell, Avery Wyman

Grade 10:

Olivia Alpha, William Barry, Callie Bass, Livie Bass, Jillian Beebe, Cooper Bowman, Jamie Bucior, Gretchen Burgess, Sarah Burnham, Liam Celic, Luke Celic, Alexander Chrysoulakis, Grace Colwell, Nicholas Cox, William Danes, Anna Davis, John Eichholz, Zachary Eichholz, Ethan Hale, Willa Hoerauf, Arber Hoxha, Aidan Kerrigan, Elisabeth Kuentzer, Phoebe Lampos, Theodore Lampos, Jonah Lathrop, Marielle Mather, Kennedy McCormick, Madalyn McCulloch, Caden Monte, Madeleine Morgado, Cooper Munson, Alexander Olsen, Alain Pecher-Kohout, Kelsey Pryor, Jaden Reyes, Izzadora Reynolds, Rhyleigh Russell, Eli Ryan, Anders Silberberg, Alyssa Spooner, Samantha Tan, Kaitlyn Ward, Harry Whitten

Grade 9:

Oliver Berry, Henry Boremski, Drew Brackley, Natalie Buckley, Jackson Bullock, Sarah Colangelo, Ella Curtiss-Reardon, Eric Dagher, Marcia Geronimo, Ryder Goss, Sydney Goulding, Alexis Grasdock, Justin Green, Abby Hale, Ella Halsey, Sedona Holland, Agatha Hunt, Beatrice Hunt, Sabina Jungkeit, Emmerson Kaye, Dakota Kotzan, Grady Lacourciere, Griffin McGlinchey, Elaina Morosky, Delaney Nelson, Isabelle O’Connor, Ronald Olin, Jack Porter, Luisa Raby, Cailin Ruhling, Madeleine Soriano, Hannah Thomas, Louisa Warlitz, Mason Wells, Tyler Wells, Summer Wollack, Duohui Yan

HONORS

Grade 12:

Paige Alpha, Juliette Atkinson, Rachel Barretta, Olivia Bartlett, Emerson Colwell, John Cox, Axel Cruz, George Danes, Isabella Flagge, Eveliz Fuentes, Ashton Gratton, Schuyler Greenho, Regan Kaye, Samuel Koenigs, Paige Kolesnik, Avery Lacourciere, Gabriel Lavoie, Owen Macadam, Madelyn Maskell, Michael Milazzo, Timothy O’Brien, Sophia Ortoleva, Olivia Papanier, Jacob Quaratella, Angus Tresnan, Avery Welch, Katelyn Zbierski

Grade 11:

Grace Arnold, Kate Bauchmann, Grace Coverdale, James Creagan, Cheikh Diagne, Mischa Elmoznino, Delaney Gagnon, Zoe Jensen, Cora Kern, Olivia Lecza, Langley Marshall, James Mazzalupo, Jacob Meyers, Emily Nickerson, Michael O’Donnell, Adeline Riccio, Jacob Ritchie, Alexander Roth, McLean Signora, Alexandra Tinniswood, Olivia Turtoro, Evan Visgilio, Ryan Zbierski

Grade 10:

Whitney Barbour, Jordan Beebe, Gillian Bradley, Ava Brinkerhoff, John Buckley, Hayley Cann, Jacob Derynioski, Kylie Dishaw, Phoebe Evans, David Evers, Matthew Grammatico, Clarence Hinckley, Karissa Huang, Owen Ingersoll-Bonsack, Madison Krol, Monique Lavoie, Jacob Lopez-Bravo, Ford Macadam, Sophia Marinelli, Joseph Montazella, Calvin Monte, Olivia Powers, Jacob Rand, Santiago Rodriguez, Benjamin Roth, Dylan Sheehan, Ned Smith, Malcolm Speirs, Tova Toriello, George Williams

Grade 9:

Peighton Andrews, Jedidiah Arico, Alis Bicic, Elliot Bjornberg, Ava Cummins, Macklin Cushman, Lucas DaSilva, Eva D’Onofrio, Mulanga Drysile, Alexis Frascarelli, Kenneth Gray, Douglas Griswold, Katherine Gryk, Nathaniel Heon, Leland Hine, John Holzworth, Luke Legein, Lucas McMillan, Matthew Miller, Kayla O’Leary, Dylan Paynter, Charles Sahadi, Sydney Siefken, Owen Snurkowski, Gabriel Tooker, Kalea VanPelt, Jacob Volkerts, Keara Ward

 

Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School Quarter 1 Honor Roll 2020-21

HIGH HONORS
Grade 8:

Christopher Anderson, Emma Arelt, Quinn Arico, Natalie Barndt, Micah Bass, Molly Boardman, Nathaniel Bradley, Mark Burnham, Nathan Burres, Andrew Clougherty, Tabitha Colwell, Chloe Datum, Andrea DeBernardo, Zoe Eastman-Grossel, Caeli Edmed, Benedict Frazier, Hoshena Gemme, Ava Gilbert, Henry Griswold, Kaela Hoss, Simon Karpinski, Olivia Kelly, Ella Kiem, Peter Kuhn, Bronwyn Kyle, Ada LaConti, Elise Leonardo, Andrew Liu, Colette Marchant, Abigail O’Brien, Kanon Oharu, Sophie Pennie, Charles Pitt, Shannon Pryor, Mutia Quarshie, Drea Simler, Audrey Spiegel, Kathleen Walsh

Grade 7:

Charlotte Antonino, Zoe Brunza, Alec Butzer, Trevor Buydos, Makayla Calderon, Tyler Cann, Julia Clark, Colman Curtiss-Reardon, Christopher Dagher, Sophia D’Angelo, Rose Dimmock, William Donnelly, Gabrielle Field, Chase Gilbert, Alexander Glaras, Benjamin Goulding, Scarlette Graybill, Anne-Marie Hinckley, Christopher Kachur, Thomas Kelly, Katherine King, Harrison Kleefeld, Jade Lawton, Maya LeQuire, Jayden Livesey, Emily Looney, Ian Maeby, Elise Marchant, Samuel Masanz, Bridget McAdams, Carter McGlinchey, Ryan Miller, Sybil Neary, Nina Nichols, Ryan Olsen, Ryan Ortoleva, Louis Patana, Quenten Patz, Isabella Presti, Taylor Quintin, Jenna Salpietro, Luca Signora, Emma Singleton, Tanner Snurkowski, Charlotte Spiegel, Addison Spooner, Carson St. Louis, Andrew Taylor, Meredith Thompson, Margaret Thuma, Lucian Tracano, Madeleine Trepanier, John Turick, Connor Vautrain, Eve Videll, Elisabeth Viera, Warren Volles, Edith Williams, Julius Wilson, Oliver Wyman, Stella Young, Carl Zapatka, Katherine Zhang

Grade 6:

Lucia Arico, Zak Avelange, Phineas Barrett, Zachary Belval, Mia Bonatti, Ceciley Buckley, Morgan Buerger, Marla Bulas, Brooke Burgess, William Burgess, Ryan Burres, Brennan Butzer, Aidan Carpentino, Chase Catalano, Isaac Chartier, Elliot Dunn-Sims, Samson Edmed, Edward Fiske, Lauren Fulara, Taiyo Gemme, Kaedin Gerster, Samuel Gilbert, Gavin Goulis, Harrison Goulis, Skylar Graybill, Charles Halsey, Owen Holth, Marley Igersheimer, Elsa Jungkeit, Josephine Kiem, Allisondra Krol, Olivia Lovendale, John Morosky, Grace Osborne, Mia Palmer, Vincenzo Pietrowicz, Arthur Riccio, Ainsley Rinoski, Cameron Russell, Kevork Shegirian, Nicholas Sokolowski, Magdalena Tooker, Kaylyn Vernon, Ivy Wilson, Charles Zelek, Brody Ziolkovski

HONORS

Grade 8:

Shane Eastman-Grossel, Grace Ferman, Samantha Fiske, Abigail Griffith, Jonathan Harms, Kyle Ingersoll-Bonsack, Aven Kellert, Straub Lahot, Evan LeQuire, Andrew Sicuranza

Grade 7:

Ilona Binch, Jack Conroy, James Dahlke, Braden Dawson, Michael DeFiore, William Landon, Sebastian Lopez-Bravo, Yanza Marin, Jackson Pannier, Jacob Prokopets, Gabriel Waldo

Grade 6:

Johanna Coker, Prestin Dishaw, Zachariah Guidi, Ashley Hendrick-Keel, Carolyn Hu, Kalonji Joyce, Alexa Legein, Matthew Mossberg-Philhower, Emelia Munster, Eva Oulahan-Smith, Kaitlyn Pannier, Milo Stiles, Hunter Supersano, Collin Swaney, Carli Teixeira, Bowen Turick