OLD LYME — State officials trying to fix environmental problems that have plagued the town’s beach communities for more than a decade are now saying there could be $17 million in state and federal grants for the work.
Graham Stevens, chief of water protection and land reuse for the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) said in a Monday phone interview [with The Day] that the agency is “committed to trying to find a solution” to …
Christopher Anthony Romeo, 60, of Old Lyme, passed away March 8, 2023. Chris was born June 21, 1962, in Old Lyme, to Armand and Barbara Romeo.
He graduated from Lyme-Old Lyme High School in 1980, where he was President of his high school class. Chris was a part of his high school’s golf, basketball, and cross-country teams. Chris was a member of the golf team when they won the State Championship in 1979 …
Chris is now with his mother, Barbara Romeo, who predeceased him. Chris leaves behind his father, Armand Romeo, with whom he loved sparring about the Red Sox vs Yankees, as well as politics. He will also be missed by his siblings, Alex (Patrice) Romeo, Susan (Robert) Malestein, and Leslie (Jeff) Edmonds …
Chris had a love of language and the history of words and would’ve enjoyed red-lining this description of his life. “The Defense finally rests…”
The Solstice Stone is sited at the New transit hub on Shore Rd. in Old Lyme.
“Gorgeous Bedrock” Donated and Delivered by Jason Jacaruso, “a Very Generous and Civic-minded Gesture,” ‘Solstice Stone’ envisioned as “Being Used as a Teaching Device” (Jim Lampos, Old Lyme’s Community Connectivity Grant Committee member)
OLD LYME — What is it? Why is it there? Where is it pointing?
Questions galore are being raised by people driving or walking along Shore Rd. in the Sound View area of Old Lyme, when they spot the massive piece of granite placed last week at the new transit hub there.
We asked Jim Lampos, who is a member of Old Lyme’s Community Connectivity Grant Committee (CCGC), for some answers to these questions and more, and he kindly shared the whole story of ‘The Solstice Stone.’
He began by explaining that, “In the design process for the new sidewalks and transit hub at Sound View, the CCGC was discussing the possibility of a “place-making” element to define the new pocket park on Shore Road that is part of the transit hub,” adding, “We had been discussing possible artwork or signage.”
Jason Jacaruso (left) watches as the stone is delivered to the transit hub location.
But things took a different turn one day when Lampos was driving past the construction site of a new home being built about a quarter mile away from the transit hub on Shore Rd.
He picked up the story again, saying, “I saw this gorgeous bedrock that was being unearthed and suggested to the committee that if we could get one of those pieces it would be perfect.”
Lampos commented, “Not only is it a beautiful stone, but it tells the complete story of Old Lyme’s unique geological history.”
Standing beside ‘The Solstice Stone’ on Shore Rd. are its former owner Jason Jacaruso and Community Connectivity Grant Committee Chair Mary Jo Nosal
Former Old Lyme Selectwoman and CCGC Chair Mary Jo Nosal contacted the homeowner, Jason Jacaruso to open the conversation about acquiring a piece of the granite and Lampos subsequently met with him on several occasions to develop a plan and work out all the details.
Noting, “We selected a beautiful example [of granite], perfectly proportioned and dramatic,” Lampos said, “Jason offered us the stone for free.”
That generous gesture by Jacaruso solved the problem of finding funds to pay for the stone but immediately opened up another one.
How was the committee going to move the giant rock, which measures 2 ft. deep by 10 ft wide and weighs upwards of 14,000 pounds, to the transit hub? It was simply too big a job for Old Lyme Public Works.
Jim Lampos, who is a longtime member of the Community Connectivity Grant Committee stands proudly beside ‘The Solstice Stone.’
The problem was solved when, in Lampos’s words, “To our amazement and delight, Jason offered to deliver it himself, free of charge.”
Delivery day was Monday, March 6. Jacaruso and his assistant arrived at about 2 p.m., and expertly placed the stone pointing towards the exact place on the horizon where the sun rises at Sound View on the morning of the summer solstice, June 21 — the first day of summer.
The rock’s official name is therefore ‘The Solstice Stone’ but Lampos explained that its nickname is ‘Summer Rock,’ which embodies the spirit of the popular Sound View beach neighborhood.
A 9 Town Transit bus stops at the transit hub. The bus driver shared that he admires the bicycle repair station installed at the transit hub and noted that other towns do not include this feature for bicyclists.
Asked if there were any specific plans for explaining the history of ‘The Solstice Stone,’ Lampos responded, “We envision the stone being used as a teaching device. School children could arrive by bus and be safely discharged at the transit hub, and then shown the dramatic stone, which is layered with 800 million years of geological history.”
He continued, “The story of continental collisions, plate tectonics, and more can be told with just this one piece of bedrock.” Nosal added, “The committee hopes that, in the future, it will be possible to develop educational information on the Sound View Gateway.”
“Starting from ‘The Solstice Stone,’ Lampos noted, “Students can be escorted on a short walk down to the beach, in safety on the new sidewalks, where the lesson can continue. In fact, the sidewalks extend to Mile Creek school, so it is now possible to bring small groups of our own Old Lyme students on a walk to the new landmark.”
View from ‘The Solstice Stone’ looking across Shore Rd. towards Hartford Ave. in Sound View.
Asked her reaction to the new installation, Nosal said, “The arrival of the Solstice Rock is the culmination of the planning and execution of the plan by the CCGC, the Town of Old Lyme, the Connecticut Department of Transportation, the River COG (Council of Governments), and the project engineering and contracting partners.”
She commented, “The Committee is very grateful to Old Lyme resident Jason Jacaruso, his family, and his business colleague for providing and delivering this beautiful granite for placemaking at the Sound View Gateway Transit Hub.”
Lampos agreed, saying, “Donating the stone, along with his time, labor, and use of heavy machinery was a very generous and civic-minded gesture by Jason.”
Asked whether the committee still had work to do, Nosal replied, “The project goal, to provide safer access and connections to Sound View and local businesses for pedestrians and bicyclists, has been successfully met with this significant piece of local geology at the transit hub in time for the Summer Solstice.”
She noted, “The CCGC project will not only conclude this Spring following some reseeding at the transit hub but will also come in under budget.”
Editor’s Note: All photos are by Jim Lampos and Mary Jo Nosal.
NORWICH/LYME — David Salvatore Caruso, 60, of Norwich, passed away unexpectedly March 6, 2023, during a quiet night at home with his adoring family. He … spent most of his life as a resident of Lyme and Norwich …
After a steadfast pursuit and courtship, he married his devoted wife Laurie Farrell Feb. 7, 1987, in Old Lyme …
David was predeceased by his father, Salvatore: and his loyal best friend, Tuna. Besides his loving mother and wife, David is survived by his sons, Zachary David Caruso of Brooklyn, N.Y., and John Ryer Caruso of Norwich; brother Matthew John Caruso; and sister-in-law Donna Moore of Chester. He is also mourned by father and mother-in-law Edward and Sharon Farrell of Old Lyme; …
A celebration of David’s life will be held in the spring at Sunset Hill Vineyard in Lyme …
” Three Yellow Apples” in oil by Pat Shoemaker is a key work in the ‘Stillness: A Still Life‘ segment of the ‘Four Acts’ exhibition.
OLD LYME — The Lyme Art Association (LAA) welcomes guests to its historic galleries to view Four Acts, an exhibition showcasing the diversity of styles created by its talented member artists. Each juried show looks at the world through a different lens: Long & Lean, Abstracted, Off the Press and Stillness: A Still Life.
The exhibition opens Friday, March 10, and runs through April 27, 2023. Meet the artists and mingle with friends at the opening reception being held Sunday, March 12, from 2 to 4 p.m. All are welcome to this free event.
Long & Lean features artworks with a 2:1 or 3:1 minimum ratio. From long sweeping landscapes, to narrow vertical citiscapes, this exhibition contemplates how a picture’s shape affects its meaning.
Diane Brown’s ‘Tranquility #1’ in oil and cold wax is one of the signature paintings in the Abstracted section.
Abstracted focuses on non-representational and non-objective art. Juried by renowned painter Cary Smith, the exhibition explores the abstractions of life and the internal moments between artists and their materials.
Off the Press is all about printmaking, highlighting a variety of techniques and media in the print medium. The show is juried by printmaker Nomi Silverman, whose work is in the collections of numerous museums as well as others around the country and abroad, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the New York Public Library, and the William Benton Museum of Art.
Nina Ritson’s etching titled, “View from the Second Field”, is a lead work in the ‘Off the Press‘ segment.
Stillness: A Still Life is an ode to the artistic practice of making the ordinary extraordinary. For millennia, artists have practiced their skills by painting objects found around the home and giving those objects meaning. Juried by Providence-based painter and psychologist, Judy Vilmain, the exhibition is an introspection into the world of still life.
Editor’s Note: The LAA is a welcoming and thriving fine arts community founded in 1914 by the American Impressionists of Old Lyme. Located in an historic, skylit 1921 building with an acclaimed gallery and art education studio, LAA exhibits over 2,000 paintings and sculptures each year in up to 15 themed, juried shows. The LAA offers art instruction, enrichment programs, and other public programs to the community, supporting artists at every level of their journey while cultivating a love of fine art.
Admission is free with contributions appreciated. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 10 to 5 p.m. or by appointment.
For more information on exhibits, purchase of art, art classes, or becoming a member, visit www.lymeartassociation.org or call (860) 434-7802.
