Monthly Archives: June 2021

June 3 COVID-19 Update: No Towns in State Now in Red Zone, No New Cases in Lyme, Old Lyme

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This map, updated June 3, shows the average daily rate of new cases of COVID-19 by town during the past two weeks. Both Lyme and Old Lyme are still in the (lowest) Gray Zone. (Only cases among persons living in community settings are included in this map; the map does not include cases among people who reside in nursing home, assisted living, or correctional facilities.) Map: Ver 12.1.2020 Source: CT Department of Public Health Get the data Created with Datawrapper. Details in italics are the same for each of the maps shown.

LYME/OLD LYME — UPDATED 06/05: The report issued Thursday, June 3, by the Connecticut Department of Public Health (CT DPH) for the average daily rate of new cases of COVID-19 by town during the past two weeks shows another dramatic improvement for the state as whole with not a single town remaining in the Red Zone (indicating the highest COVID-19 new case rates) and just one, Waterbury, in the Orange Zone.

Both Lyme and Old Lyme remain in the Gray (lowest rate) Zone for two-week new case rates. It is the fourth week for Old Lyme in that Zone, but Lyme is in the Gray Zone for a 12th straight week. It is very encouraging to see this number increase from 110 towns last week to 145 this week.

Neither Lyme nor Old Lyme reported any new cases in the June 3 report meaning Lyme holds steady at 107 cases and Old Lyme at 342, and in more good news, no COVID-19 deaths have been reported statewide in the past two days.

Twenty-one towns are now in the Yellow Zone, down from 48 last week. They are: Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Bloomfield, Brooklyn, Coventry, Cromwell, Derby, East Hartford, East Haven, Granby, Hamden, Hartford, Manchester, New Britain, New Haven, New London, Putnam, Rocky Hill, Shelton, Waterford and Windsor.

  • The Gray category is defined as when the Average Daily Rate of COVID-19 Cases Among Persons Living in Community Settings per 100,000 Population By Town is less than five or less than five reported cases.
  • The Yellow category is defined as when the Average Daily Rate of COVID-19 Cases Among Persons Living in Community Settings per 100,000 Population By Town is between five and nine reported cases.
  • The Orange category is defined as when the Average Daily Rate of COVID-19 Cases Among Persons Living in Community Settings per 100,000 Population By Town is between 10 and 14.
  • The Red category is 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.

In all cases, this rate does not include cases or tests among residents of nursing home, assisted living, or correctional facilities.

Below is the map from last week that showed one town in the Red Zone, Putnam, and 10 towns in the Orange Zone.

This map, updated May 27, shows the average daily rate of new cases of COVID-19 by town during the past two weeks. Both Lyme and Old Lyme were still in the (lowest) Gray Zone. (Only cases among persons living in community settings are included in this map; the map does not include cases among people who reside in nursing home, assisted living, or correctional facilities.) Map: Ver 12.1.2020 Source: CT Department of Public Health Get the data Created with Datawrapper. Details in italics are the same for each of the maps shown.

Compare the maps above with the one we published Dec. 18, 2020 to see the remarkable progress that has been made with controlling the spread of the virus through expansion of vaccination rates and improved mitigation strategies.

Map of Connecticut dated Dec. 17, 2020 showing both Lyme and Old Lyme now in the CT DPH-identified ‘Red Zone.’ This is defined as when the Average Daily Rate of COVID-19 Cases Among Persons Living in Community Settings per 100,000 Population By Town is over 15.

Ledge Light Health District (LLHD) also issued their latest weekly report of COVID data for the municipalities within their District.

Lyme, Old Lyme and North Stonington remain the only towns in the nine-town district, which are reported to have less than five new cases in the past two weeks.

Ledge Light Director of Health Stephen Mansfield prefaces the report with the comment, “We are happy to see a continued decrease in the number of new cases throughout our jurisdiction and encourage everyone to get vaccinated!”

Mansfield also notes, “The demand for vaccine is declining, and many providers are reporting that they have unfilled vaccination appointments at scheduled clinics. At this time, LLHD is vaccinating all individuals 18 and older.”

He adds, “Information regarding vaccination opportunities and other relevant information can be found at https://llhd.org/coronavirus-covid-19-situation/covid-19-vaccine/

The following link provides centralized access to Connecticut COVID data: https://data.ct.gov/stories/s/COVID-19-data/wa3g-tfvc/

Vaccination rates in Lyme and Old Lyme are also extremely encouraging with 80.22 percent of the population in Lyme having received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and the equivalent number for Old Lyme being 71.63 percent.

These are some of the highest percentages in the state.

Letter to the Editor: Recognize the Past, Look to the Future; CT House, Senate Have Both Now Passed Resolution on Racism, Why Hasn’t Old Lyme BOS?

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To the Editor:

The Witness Stones project, which was dedicated last week on the library grounds, demonstrates that Old Lyme residents recognize a non-revisionist view of an unfortunate part of our town’s history.

We should place a capstone on that project, and publicly acknowledge that, in Old Lyme, all residents may avail themselves of the same resources and opportunities, regardless of race, color, or creed. Aren’t these our values? Note that Connecticut did block the importation of slaves in 1774, and began a gradual emancipation in 1784.

That said, we call upon the BOS to take one additional symbolic step and finally support the Resolution that’s been on the table for the past few months.

Also note that, earlier this month, both CT’s House and Senate affirmed racism as a public health crisis, and resolved to convene a panel to study the effect of racism on health care.

Paraphrasing, the past need not always be a prologue to the future.

Respectfully submitted.

Sincerely,

Christina J. & Thomas D. Gotowka,
Old Lyme.

‘Lymes Creative Arts’ Kicks Off Summer Arts, Music Programs for Students

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LYME-OLD LYME — Teens and preteens here will have a variety of ways to participate in visual arts and m
usic this summer thanks to a new collaborative effort, Lymes Creative Arts. The initiative presents in one place all available arts and music opportunities in the two towns, including several new programs created based on feedback from a student survey.

The initiative is designed to reduce barriers to participation such as access to program options, time availability, and financial hardship.

Lyme-Old Lyme High Schools Art Department Head Will Allik will lead a Caricature Workshop during this summer’s Lymes Creative Arts programming.

Programming includes an outdoor arts studio, music club, and workshops such as a Caricature Workshop directed by Lyme-Old Lyme High School Art Department Head Will Allik, and a Ukulele Workshop led by Braiden Sunshine.

All programs can be found at https://lysb.org/TeenArts. 

The initiative is the creation of Sustainable Old Lyme and Sustainable Lyme, and partners with numerous organizations in the two towns including Lyme-Old Lyme Schools, Lymes’ Youth Services Bureau (LYSB), the towns’ public libraries, Music Now Foundation, Lyme Academy of Fine Arts, and Lyme Parks & Recreation.

The initiative began with a survey of 6th to 12th grade students in the two towns to see what arts and music programming students interested them, what programming they currently participate in, and reasons why they may not participate.

Forty percent of respondents replied they did not know how to find arts programming they would be interested in, 33 percent felt they were not talented enough to pursue the creative arts they were interested in, and 15 percent felt their family could not afford outside-of-school arts programming. 

“It was important to us that those students, who may not have the resources to participate, could easily do so without a lot of hoops to jump through,” said Cheryl Poirier, Sustainable Old Lyme’s chairperson.

“There are kids who rely on parents to know their interests and find fun things to do in the summer, and there are other kids, who don’t have that advantage. Our goal has been to make the program accessible to all,” she said.

‘The Voice’ finalist Braiden Sunshine will teach a Ukele Workshop this summer.

With the help of interested students, new summer programming was developed for all levels of ability, affordable options were created, and a communications plan was developed to get information out to students where they can find it, including social media and in-school posters. 

“This has truly been a community collaboration ꟷ from local arts institutions to our Student Advisory Committee, we have tried to craft a program that will have something for everyone,” said Liz Frankel, the Sustainable Lyme Action Lead.

She added, “Having students involved at every step, from developing the needs assessment survey, to including them in our planning meetings, and engaging their input on the initiative name and marketing, has been an invaluable inclusive process,” she said.

The program comes at a time when educators and youth service providers are concerned about the well-being of children and young adults following the increased social isolation during the pandemic.

Grant funding for summer programming to address the issue has become available through the American Rescue Plan. Lymes’ Youth Service  Bureau (LYSB) is the distributor of the local funding. 

This summer more than ever our teens need a creative outlet,” said Mary Seidner, LYSB’s Executive Director.  “LYSB is pleased to help facilitate the funding and scholarships for Lymes Creative Arts to offer creativity and community engagement for our middle and high school students.” said Mary Seidner, LYSB’s Executive Director. 

Both Old Lyme and Lyme have town-wide efforts to achieve certification levels with Sustainable CT, a state-wide initiative that highlights municipalities that embrace a variety of sustainable practices, including community engagement with the arts.

One of the “actions” municipalities can embrace toward their certification is Arts Programming for Youth. Sustainable CT also rewards inclusive processes and collaborative efforts between municipalities, such as the one Lyme and Old Lyme have taken with Lymes Creative Arts. 

To learn more about the Lymes Creative Arts programming, visit https://lysb.org/teenarts or email LymesCreativeArts@gmail.com. Additional programming is expected to be added throughout the summer and updates will be posted on the Lymes Creative Arts Facebook page.

To learn more about Sustainable CT go to SustainableCT.org.

Powers Runs ‘The Perfect Race’ (Daquila), is CIAC Class S 400m State Champion, Sets New Lyme-Old Lyme HS Record

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Aidan Powers is the 2021 Class S 400 meter State Champion and also the new Lyme-Old Lyme High School 400 meter record holder.

LYME-OLD LYME — Senior Aidan Powers set a new Lyme-Old Lyme High School (LOLHS) record in the 400 meters today with a blistering time of 51.3 seconds at the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) Class S championship, which was held at Willow Brook Park in New Britain, Conn.

Additionally, Powers is the Class S state champion in the 400 meters after finishing in first place in Class S.

Asked how he felt about this remarkable result, LOLHS Track Coach Aron Daquila responded exclusively to LymeLine, “Aidan is such a smart runner and has so much grit. He ran the perfect race yesterday.  The 400 is a long sprint and requires strategy.  He started strong, but in control, and when he hit the back stretch, he really exploded off the turn. He’s been training all season for that race and all that hard work really paid off.”

Daquila added, “But Aidan doesn’t quit. He turned around after that individual performance to run the anchor leg of the 4×400, where he gave his all, again, and helped his team earn a spot at the state open next week. It truly was a team effort, Aidan, [fellow senior] Gabe Lavioe, [junior] Nevin Joshy and [sophomore] Dylan Sheehan each ran great legs.”

As a result of these placements, both Powers and the relay team will now advance to compete in the 400 m and 4 x 400 m races at the CIAC State Open next Wednesday.

Powers plans to attend Lyme Academy of Fine Arts in the fall.

Huge congratulations to Aidan and the relay team, and good luck on Wednesday!

Lyme-Old Lyme Girl’s Tennis are Class S State Champions for First Time in School History!

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The Lyme-Old Lyme High School (LOLHS) Girl’s Tennis team poses with the Class S state championship trophy yesterday after defeating Litchfield 5-2.

LYME/OLD LYME — The top-seeded Lyme-Old Lyme High School (LOLHS) girl’s tennis team became the CIAC Class S state champions yesterday for the first time in school history when they stormed to  a 5-2 victory over #2 seeds Litchfield yesterday.  The tournament final was played indoors at the Magic Lincer Tennis Club in Manchester.

The Old Lyme girls finished the season undefeated at 20-0 and also won the Shoreline Conference title along the way.

Asked how she felt about this extraordinarily successful season, team coach Lauren Rahr, who is also a math teacher at LOLHS, responded, “It has been such an amazing season with a wonderful group of girls. When I woke up this morning I still couldn’t believe that we actually won a state tournament!”

The LOLHS Girl’s Tennis Team first-year coach Lauren Rahr accepts the Class S state championship trophy after her team’s win Thursday.

She continued, “This year was my first year coaching tennis. Previously, I had played tennis for Waterford High School and Endicott College. It was always my dream to teach math at a high school and coach their girls tennis team. Being hired at Old Lyme provided me with the opportunity to pursue these goals.”

Rahr added, “Going into this season, I didn’t want to let the girls down, and I hoped that they would all get along and win some matches. But what actually happened this season was more special than I ever imagined. The minute I saw them play and really compete on the court I knew we had something special.”

Describing the team overall, Rahr said, “Out of my 10 starting varsity players, one had competed in a varsity high school match before this season. There was a lot of nerves and inexperience when it came to match play, but each practice we ran mental toughness drills or talked tennis strategies to help bring the girls to the level they competed at all season long.”

Noting, “Tennis is such a wonderful sport because anyone can step on the court and swing a racket, Rahr pointed out, “But what makes a tennis player special is when they can analyze their short and their opponent’s shots. I like to call this “smart tennis” and by the end of the season all of my girls had accomplished this. Our change over conversations went from me doing most of the talking to them giving me detailed recollections of things they noticed and strategies they were using.”

In terms of statistics, Rahr recalled that, “During the regular season, the team competed at a high level winning 11 of their 16 matches 7-0. Three of my players went on to win the Shoreline conference individual tournament: Lauren Wallace and Alexis Fenton won the doubles draw and Samantha Tan won the ¾ singles draw.” She highlighted, “These three players were able to remain undefeated in post-season play as well as regular season. Livie Bass (four singles) was undefeated in team matches and clinched us both our semi-final win and our finals win.”

The LOLHS Girl’s Tennis team members deservedly celebrate being #1 in Class S statewide!

Talking specifically about the championship final, Rahr said, “Yesterday, every single girl went out on the court fighting not just for themselves, but for the team. This group of girls has passion, drive, and huge hearts. I feel so lucky and honored to have been able to coach them this year.”

She explained further, “During yesterday’s match, we knew winning doubles would put us in a good spot. My number one doubles pair of Lauren Wallace and Alexis Fenton won their match in record time, executing flawless doubles strategies, placement, and communication. Their win drove the momentum in our direction for the remainder of the match.”

She summed up Wallace and Fenton’s performance in the words, “Their leadership throughout the season has been a big part of our success.”

Rahr concluded, “This is one of those once in a lifetime moments that I will never forget, and I hope the girls will always remember too. No matter what else comes my way with coaching, I don’t know if anything can top this moment with this special group of girls.”