Monthly Archives: January 2021

Winter Sports Start in Lyme-Old Lyme Schools with Practices, Games Begin Feb. 8

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Basketball practices start today for both the boys’ and girls’ squads at Lyme-Old Lyme Schools.

LYME/OLD LYME — Not only do Lyme-Old Lyme (LOL) Schools reopen today after the Martin Luther King Day holiday, but the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) winter high school sports season also starts.

This latter situation became possible after the CIAC Board of Control approved the CIAC Winter Sports Plan at a meeting last Thursday, Jan. 14, which allows students to start practicing (CIAC) winter sports of basketball, fencing, gymnastics and ice hockey Jan. 19 and to commence competition, Feb. 8.

In the same way as the fall season, the winter sports plan will be shorter and stay closer to home since, again, there will be no state tournaments, which can cause teams to travel all over the state. There will, however, be an equivalent of  the Shoreline Conference Tournament for Lyme-Old Lyme Schools held March 15-28. Not all member schools will necessarily compete, however, as the CIAC has permitted the final decision regarding whether to participate in winter sports to be made at school level.

The winter season is scheduled to run through March 28 and, at this point, the spring sports season is planned to start March 29.

Lyme-Old Lyme Schools Superintendent Ian Neviaser explained exclusively to LymeLine that the plan for LOL Schools winter sports season is that, “All sports [which include basketball, fencing, gymnastics and ice hockey] except wrestling and indoor track,” will start practicing today. The CIAC has deemed wrestling a high-risk activity meaning, it, “does not recommend any activities beyond small group conditioning and non-contact skill building for the duration of the winter season.”

Although indoor track has been categorized as a “moderate and lower risk sports,” and can therefore start practices today, Neviaser states, “We are working to find ways to have indoor track outside so we may be able to hold competitions that way.” The CIAC is not allowing indoor track meets until March at the earliest.

Masks will be required at all times by athletes, coaches, game personnel and officials, but Lyme-Old Lyme Schools will not be allowing spectators at any games or sporting events.

Asked to comment on the overall CIAC’s Winter Sports Plan, Neviaser said by email, “The lack of virus transmission during fall sports supports the CIAC’s current position,” adding, “We are glad to see our students once again having the opportunity to exercise and compete against their peers at other schools.”

He noted in conclusion, “Unfortunately, we cannot have fans but will live stream as many games as we can.” LymeLine will publish details of all games, which are being live-streamed, as soon as they are available.

Our Top 10 (Non-COVID) Most Read Stories in 2020

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LYME/OLD LYME — It was an interesting experience delving into our analytics for 2020 because 2020 was — for want of a better description —  an interesting year.

Usually, when we undertake our review of the previous year each January, we find stories covering a wide range of topics in our Top 10. This year was different in that every single one of our Top 10 Stories (and beyond) related directly to COVID-19 data.

Rather than publishing all those articles full of depressing details of the spread of the virus in our towns, we have chosen to publish our Top 10 non-COVID-19-related stories and these, we submit, provide a balanced overview of the remaining priorities of our community after the obvious dominance of COVID-19 as our top concern in 2020.

The most read article was — and we think this is a first —  a ‘Letter to the Editor.’

  1. In July, the Senior Ministers of the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme led by Senior Minister Stephen Jungkeit (pictured right) wrote an Open Letter to the Old Lyme community setting two challenges related to the expansion of affordable housing in the town. The letter was written in response to the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent events organized locally to address the issue of systemic racism, “… that continues to plague our country.” The letter sparked a great many comments and several more that we chose not to publish. Sadly, we lost some subscribers to our newsletter after publication of the letter, but fortunately, we gained many more. Take a look at the letter now six months on and see what you think. A great deal has happened since then with regard to affordable housing in Old Lyme.
    Letter to the Editor: An Open Letter to the Old Lyme Community … with Two Challenges

    This tree at Saint Ann’s was one of the many casualties of Tropical Storm Isaias.

     

  2. Remember Aug. 4th, 2020?  That was the day that Tropical Storm Isaias tore through our towns knocking out power to almost everyone. Our story, which focused on photos sent in by readers, was our #2 most read article.
    Trees Down, Power Out All Over Lyme, Old Lyme; Lyme Estimates at Least Three Days Before Power Restored

Julia Balfour

  1. In third place was the profoundly sad announcement of the death of the brilliant, vivacious, and remarkable creative designer Julia Balfour, who passed Nov. 30, at age 42 after a lengthy battle with cancer. She lived and worked in Lyme for many years before moving to East Haddam.
    Death of Julia Balfour Announced; Obituary Now Added

    2. Hundreds gathered on the lawn in front of the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme to hear a number of speakers after marching down Lyme Street from Memorial Town Hall.

  2. Saturday, June 6, saw hundreds turn out to “Stand Up and Kneel Down” for racial justice. Our report on the unprecedented event, which includes many of the speeches given, came in at number four.
    Hundreds Turn Out to Join Peaceful March, Rally for Racial Justice in Old Lyme

    Ready for the rush. Old Lyme Beach Rangers stand ready and waiting for the anticipated crowd when the beach reopened at Sound View.

  3. We all love our beaches so when the Old Lyme Board of Selectmen closed them down in an effort to contain the COVID-19 virus, people were very concerned. But when it was determined the beaches could reopen for Memorial Day, everyone wanted to read about it and that became our fifth most-read story.
    Old Lyme Beaches Closed Today, But Set to Open Memorial Day Weekend
  4. Teddy Anastasiou (pictured right) has been running Old Lyme Pizza Palace forever, but he doesn’t just make great pizza — he also gives back to the community in innumerable ways. When he was announced as the winner for July of the Old Lyme Kindness Award, there was an outpouring of support for the choice and the story notched sixth place in our most read list. 
    Old Lyme Committee Names OL Pizza Palace’s Teddy Anastasiou as Latest ‘Kindness Award’ Recipient

    Mary Seidner, LYSB Executive Director

  5. Similarly, when State Rep Devin Carney announced his selections for ‘Local Heroes’ in his District, there was strong support for his choices in Old Lyme. Jen Datum (pictured left) and Mary Seidner (pictured right) were the honorees for their exceptional work in the early days of the pandemic. The community agreed and made the story about their selection our seventh place story.
    State Rep. Carney Names Two Old Lyme Residents ‘Local Heroes;’ Datum, Seidner to Receive Official Citations

    The sign at Sound View Beach informs the public that the beach is closed.

  6. We have already mentioned how important our beaches are to this community so,’ when they were initially closed due to COVID, not everyone agreed with the decision. Old Lyme First Selectman Timothy Griswold found himself having to explain it and people wanted to read about his reasoning, causing this article to take eighth place in our ‘Most Read Stories.’
    Griswold Defends Decision to Close Old Lyme Town Beaches

    A view looking south down the Connecticut River with Watch Rock Preserve to the left. Photo by Edie Twining.

  7. There is no question that the Lyme-Old Lyme community cares passionately about the environment, so when the Old Lyme Land Trust closed down Watch Rock Preserve at weekends due to the damage being caused by humans, there was strong interest in the story. Our article on the topic came in at number nine.
    Watch Rock Preserve in Old Lyme Closed Weekends Through Labor Day Due to Environmental, Safety Violations

    In this undated photo, the Mervin E. Roberts life saving boat is shown moored at Mystic Seaport. All photos are courtesy of the Wood Island Life Saving Station Association.

  8. Our 10th-placed story was one of our favorites and has become even more so with the passing of Mr. Roberts, aged 98, at the end of the year. We are proud to have played a small part in this wonderful story since we were the initial point of contact for the Wood Island Life Saving Station Association (WILSSA) of Kittery, Maine. The WILSSA President Sam Reid reached out to us after reading our story by Michele Dickey about Mr. Roberts published in May. Mr. Roberts gave what he said would be his final homily after 50 years service as Old Lyme Fire Department Chaplain at Old Lyme’s Memorial Day ceremony since he needed to pass the torch to someone younger. Mr. Roberts’s words turned out to be true for a different reason.
    Reid had found a boat named the ‘Mervin F. Roberts’ for sale on the internet, which the WILSSA wished to acquire, and wondered if our Mervin F. Roberts of Old Lyme was the same Mervin F. Roberts after whom the boat was named. We connected Reid with First Selectman Griswold and the story really takes off from there.
    Griswold Launches Effort to Raise Funds to Purchase Unique ‘Mervin F. Roberts’ Rescue Boat for Maritime Museum in Maine

Lyme Church Hosts Gathering with Candles for COVID Victims, Prayers for Peaceful Inauguration, This Evening

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LYME — The First Congregational Church of Lyme will join the National Lighting Ceremony, Tuesday, Jan. 19, at 5:30 p.m. when all are welcome to gather on the church lawn for candle lighting in memory of those lost to COVID-19, and conclude with prayers for peace during the Presidential Inauguration being held the following day.

This will be a very short event and held only if the weather permits.

Attendees are requested to wear masks, and households should distance from other households.

Even if the weather does not allow the gathering, local residents should listen for the church bells, which will toll at 5:30 p.m. in concert with churches all over the country celebrating the National Lighting Ceremony.

LYSB Hosts Virtual, Interactive ‘Hidden in Plain Sight’ Program, Aims to Heighten Awareness of Drug Use/Abuse, Tonight

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This bedroom looks innocent enough but vaping materials, drug paraphernalia and more may be “hidden in plain sight.”

LYME/OLD LYME — Lymes’ Youth Service Bureau (LYSB) and two other organizations* host an interactive online workshop via Zoom, Tuesday, Jan. 19, at 7 p.m. for parents, caregivers, and adults who work with youth.

This presentation is extremely important because:

  • One in five Lyme-Old Lyme (LOL) youth in grades 7-12 report vaping.
  • By 12th grade, over 40 percent of LOL youth report vaping.
  • Data says that youth are at risk for developing nicotine addiction that becomes a gateway to other substances, and physical harm from vaping.

Titled, Hidden in Plain Sight, participants are invited to browse a mock bedroom that is filled with items that can be easily used to hide drugs and paraphernalia.

This will be followed by a drug education workshop on ways to:

  • Understand the types of inexpensive, easily accessible products available.
  • Recognize warning signs of drug use, both obvious and hidden.
  • Determine what to do if a problem is suspected.
  • Practice skills for having tough conversations with young people in your life.
  • Learn about resources available in your community.

This program is free and open to the public. Register at this link.

For more information, contact Alli Behnke, MSW, Prevention Coordinator at abehnke@lysb.org.

*This program is presented by Connecticut Association of Prevention Professionals, Lyme-Old Lyme Prevention Coalition and LYSB.

A la Carte: Baby, It’s Cold Outside … so it Must be Time for Soup!

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Lee White

It has been pretty cold outside and, for that matter, inside my condo. 

I keep my thermostat at 60 degrees, until friends are coming for dinner (which doesn’t happen these days because of the pandemic) or coming to watch the UConn women play basketball (my neighbors don’t have SNY network). When they visit, I turn the heat to 65. They wear their puffy jackets and I offer them down throws.

But to be honest, it has been cold enough that I often turn the heat to 65 during the day. Sometimes I forget to turn it back down at night. By the time I am in bed under my electric blanket and my down comforter, I boil.

So, often, I have to go back downstairs and turn the thermostat down. (I know, I can get a smart thermostat that does this for me, but I keep saying, “Yeah, just another two or three months and it will be warm again.” Also, I am mechanically inept and I don’t know how to put in a new thermostat.

What I do these days to keep myself just warm enough is with food. I make stews and soups and I roast a big chicken every couple of weeks.

This recipe below is from a magazine I had been hoarding for a few months because its cover promised “Time for Soup!” I love lemon soup and this reminded me how much I miss St. Sophia’s Greek Festival in New London.

There I always begin with its lemon soup, choose pastitsio for my entrée and finish with a piece of baklava. I have made baklava myself and maybe I should try pastitsio, too. In the meantime, here is a great recipe for the soup.

Greek Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
From Food magazine, October, 2020
Yield: serves 4

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
½ cup orzo
1 large egg plus 2 egg yolks
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from about 1 ½ lemons)
1 ¾ cups shredded rotisserie chicken (skin removed)
1 ¾ cups frozen peas and carrots

Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add orzo and cook 2 minutes less than the label directs.

Meanwhile, whisk the egg, yolks, ¾ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Whisk in the lemon juice. Reduce hear under the orzo to low, scoop out 1 cup broth with a ladle and pour it into the egg mixture in a steady stream, whisking with the other hand. Then pour the egg mixture into the saucepan with the remaining broth and orzo in a steady stream, whisking constantly.*

Stir the chicken into the soup, increase the heat to medium and bring it to a gentle simmer, stirring often, Cook stirring, until the soup thickens slightly, about 4 minute. Stir in the peas and carrots and warm through.

*You need to warm up (or temper) your eggs before you add them to the broth or else you’ll get scrambled egg soup! Whisk the eggs with a little hot broth first, then slowly whisk them into the soup.

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.