I am running for re-election to the Old Lyme Board of Finance (BOF). I have served on that board since 2014 and very much want to continue. I also urge you to vote for the other Democratic Town Committee candidates: Anna Reiter as a regular member and Sheila Riffle, Diane Linderman and Candace Fuchs as alternates.
We appreciate the importance of the BOF to the town and the serious responsibility service on the board entails. Together with the Board of Selectman (BOS), the BOF must decide what expenditures are in the best interests of our residents and where to draw the line so that taxes are no greater than necessary. You trust us to make these decisions thoughtfully and prudently, taking into account the needs of the town and the opinions of the taxpayers.
Electing this slate would correct the 4 to 2 party imbalance currently on the BOF and position us to improve the budget-making process. We need to adopt an orderly and effective methodology for developing the annual budget, which starts with the Board of Selectmen and then moves to the BOF for review, refinement and adoption. The work should include careful examination of the financial requirements of each program and department, and determination of the amount of surplus needed by the town. Surplus in excess of that amount may be used to offset approved project expenses and/or reduce upcoming tax needs.
My colleagues and I are deeply committed to the welfare of Old Lyme and are particularly well-qualified to serve on the BOF. I am a retired corporate lawyer and business owner, with years of experience on the board. Anna Reiter has served on the BOF and has managed large budgets in her role as a project geologist. In her role as high school principal Sheila Riffle developed many annual budgets, aligning them with district objectives. Diane Linderman has years of accounting experience and was immersed in the Region 18 Board of Education budget-making process while serving on that board. Finally, Candace Fuchs, who served on our Economic Development Commission, has managed multi-million-dollar budgets as a project manager for pharmaceutical companies.
You can find more information about each of us at oldlymedtc.com. We would also be happy to meet with you at DTC headquarters (151-B Boston Post Road in Old Lyme, behind Morrissey Cycles) to discuss any questions or concerns you may have.
NIANTIC — Richard Allen Shook of Niantic, Connecticut died with his family at his side at Yale New Haven Hospital on October 10, 2023 after a long illness.
Richard (Dick) was delivered by his physician father on March 11,1949 in Riverdale, North Dakota …
In 1980, Dick moved to Ames, Iowa and enrolled at the Iowa State University of Veterinary Medicine, where he met Lee Carpenter, and received his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in 1984.
… In 1987, Dick and Lee were married, moved to Connecticut, and in 1990 founded and partnered in Niantic Animal Hospital. They raised their two children, Robert Carpenter Shook, 33, a photojournalist and yacht captain, and daughter Carson Carpenter Shook, 31, a science teacher for Waterford Public Schools.
… He loved trips and retreats with his friends at The First Congregational Church of Old Lyme (FCCOL) to South Dakota’s Green Grass Church Community on the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation, South Africa, Palestine, and weekends of museums, jazz venues and theater with Lee.
Dick was a member of FCCOL since 1995 where he served on the board of deacons and played trumpet in services many times over the years to the delight of the congregation …
His service will be held at The First Congregational Church in Old Lyme, CT on October 22, at 2pm. Memorial contributions may be made to the Green Grass Partnership through the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme …
Silence is one of the first ways a democracy can be destroyed. Rather than asking questions and demanding answers, people just clam-up.
I wrote a comment in response to a Letter to the Editor of LymeLine last week. Numerous people have thanked me for it, complimented me on the subject matter but none have wanted to (or dared to) put their names on public responses. I don’t blame them. We are living in a scary time when teachers, poll workers and librarians face threats if they just do their jobs.
Fear is being used to stop intelligent people from expressing themselves. Old Lyme is a community where many believe that keeping a low profile is the best policy but, at a time when our country is in jeopardy of losing its status as the world’s leading democracy, silence is not golden. Sadly, to remain silent is to be complicit with those who scare us.
My comment merely asked why the GOP candidates in our town do not tell us how they feel about their national party.
Do they concur that the Jan. 6th insurrection was merely a photo-shoot by tourists? Do they honestly believe that Donald Trump was cheated out of the Presidency and that voter fraud is rampant? Do they support our local librarians, teachers and poll workers.? Do they continue to support the former President even though he has been indicted four times for charges ranging from rape to mishandling of top secret documents? Are they as concerned about democracy as I am or do they feel fears about losing our democracy are just another conspiracy theory? Are they proud of their party … or are they ashamed of what their party (the party of my Grandparents) has become?
I don’t feel it is too much for candidates to address the elephant in the room. In this case, the elephant is the Republican Party. I cannot even consider voting for any local Republican until I hear his/her views on their party.
Jessica Talerico, owner of Old Lyme Hardware in Old Lyme, Conn., receives her ‘2023 Young Retailer of the Year award’ at a ceremony hosted by the North American Hardware and Paint Association in Dallas, Texas. Photo by OLivia Adam/NHPA.
OLD LYME/INDIANAPOLIS — Jessica Talerico, owner of Old Lyme Hardware in Old Lyme, Conn., was recently named one of the independent home improvement industry’s 2023 Young Retailer of the Year honorees by the North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA).
Jessica Talerico
The Young Retailer of the Year program, now in its 27th year, identifies and promotes the next generation of aspiring independent home improvement, paint and decorating retailers. It recognizes individual achievement by industry retailers age 35 and younger throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Honorees are chosen based on a number of criteria, including professional milestones, community engagement, continuing hardware industry education and extracurricular activities.
This year’s class features a record 11 honorees, who were selected from three categories: under $3 million in annual sales (Talerico was in this category), over $3 million in annual sales, and operations with multiple locations.
All the honorees received their awards in person at a star-studded ceremony held in Dallas, Texas, in August. A virtual ceremony featuring footage from the live event was subsequently held in late September.
“Being chosen as a Young Retailer of the Year is a high honor. Each year, manufacturers, retailers and wholesalers in the industry join us in celebrating the honorees’ contributions to their communities and the industry,” comments Scott Wright, executive director of advanced retail education programs for NHPA.
He continued, “Jessica exemplifies the dedication and innovation that keep our industry growing.”
Jessica Talerico, owner of Old Lyme Hardware, speaks at the North American Hardware and Paint Association Conference held in Dallas, Texas.
Sponsors of the 2023 Young Retailer of the Year program include American Hardware and Lumber Insurance (AHLI), Arrow Fastener, Intertape Polymer Group (IPG), Midwest Fastener, Pony Jorgensen, PPG, STIHL and The Wooster Brush Company.
While her background was in the restaurant industry, Talerico did not let a steep learning curve and lack of home improvement knowledge deter her dreams of owning a hardware store. With a packed U-Haul truck and a degree in food service management, Jessica made the 980-mile trip from Sea Island, Ga., to Old Lyme, Conn., and purchased Old Lyme Hardware in 2021.
With a go-getter attitude and willingness to put in the work, Talerico began organizing and renovating the store—updating the floors, shelving, inventory and more. “I knew that every inch of retail space makes a difference to a store, so I opened the back room to the rest of the store to add valuable retail square footage,” she says. “Once the changes started to happen, they didn’t stop.”
With help from family and friends over the course of one weekend, Jessica replaced the 4-ft. shelving with 6-ft. gondolas, switched out the worn floors for new wood floors and removed all the outdated inventory from the store. She met with a number of vendors to determine the best product selection and options for her store, eventually adding over $100,000 worth of new inventory, including fasteners, plumbing, electrical, power tools and outdoor power equipment.
A view down the shelves of ‘Old Lyme Hardware’ shows clearly how they are packed with inventory of every description. Photo by J. Tallerico.
Asked what are the keys to her success in the industry, Talerico responds, “My parents have been huge supporters, but my success has also come down to me being willing to embrace opportunity and taking that leap of faith. You have to be willing to learn new things, jump in with both feet and take a chance.”
The store’s digital presence also got a facelift with a new website. Talerico became active on the store’s social media accounts, creating and sharing videos showing the store’s updates and new items added.
Thanks to Talerico’s hard work, sales increased 500 percent in the first year. She learned a great deal about the industry in a short period of time and is committed to continuing that process.
“I may not have known much when I bought the store, but I learned quickly and was involved in all parts of the demolition and remodel,” Talerico says, adding, “I did a handwritten inventory of everything in the store to learn the products and taught myself the ins and outs of the store’s point-of-sale system so I could be as educated about my store as possible.”
She built a demo wall for electrical wiring to teach customers how each part functions, and she attends multiple hardware shows each year to learn more about products, talk with distributors and see demonstrations.
Commenting on the biggest challenges facing independent retailers this year, Talerico says, “I think competing against the big-box stores and online retailers is a challenge for the independent channel right now. But these challenges can also be opportunities for our industry to offer something those other retailers can’t — personalized service. People want to connect with others again, they want to walk into a store and know they are not just some number. As independents, we can provide that service.”
Jessica Talerico, owner of Old Lyme Hardware, was recently named a ‘2023 Young Retailer of the Year‘ by the North American Hardware and Paint Association.
With 10 years of restaurant experience, Talerico thrives on customer service and building relationships. Many of her first customers quickly became regulars, and she opened 37 personal and business accounts for customers to make it more convenient for them to make purchases at the store.
She became a member of the local chamber of commerce and has participated in numerous community events, including Old Lyme’s annual Midsummer Festival. She even entered Old Lyme Hardware’s 1952 Ford truck in the Lyme-Old Lyme Lions Car Show at the latter and won second place!
Talerico was named the 2022 Young Professional of the Year by the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut.
Connecting with customers in the store, Talerico has hosted an Easter Egg Hunt in the spring and a pumpkin carving at Halloween, She has also collaborated with the town’s library to hold a youth reading night and every third Saturday of the month is dubbed “Coffee With a Handyman,” when Talerico brews fresh coffee and serves donuts and popcorn.
It is not unusual to walk into the store and see a Weber grill, a bucket of tools or a Blackstone grill being auctioned for charity, and Talerico has donated much of the old inventory to the Lyme-Old Lyme High School’s industrial design program.
With a heart for teaching young customers the same skills she learned on the job, you will often see young DIY’ers learning new skills in the store, everything from building grills and Adirondack chairs to learning how to weld. She has given the people of Old Lyme the option for delivery and has even gone to houses to take special measurements or perform grill maintenance.
Honoring the company’s storied history but adding her own touch to the business, Talerico changed the name of the store to Old Lyme Hardware and created a branded line of T-shirts, hooded sweatshirts and other merchandise, including a die-cast model of the store’s iconic red 1952 Ford F1 truck. “The store has a rich history in our small community but has always been known by the proprietor’s last name,” Talerico explains, saying, “I believed the store belonged to the community and decided on ‘Old Lyme Hardware’ to honor that connection.”
Why is being involved in the local community so important to her? Talerico responds enthusiastically, “I have no home improvement background or experience in owning a business, so going into this adventure, my community has been everything. We’re here for the community, and they’re what keeps us going. As long as they’re coming in, we’re able to stay in business. So it’s a priority for us to be there for the community and support them in whatever way we can.”
Editor’s Notes: (i) For more information on the ‘Young Retailer of the Year’ awards program, honorees and more, visit YourNHPA.org/yroty. (ii) Founded in 1900 by a group of retailers, the North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) is a not-for-profit trade association, whose mission is to help home improvement, paint and decorating outlets in the U.S. and Canada become better and more profitable retailers. Governed by a board of independent hardware and paint retailers, NHPA fulfills its mission by providing how-to management resources, product discovery, training programs and networking opportunities for the industry it serves. Learn more at YourNHPA.org. (iii) This article is based on press releases issued by NHPA.
I am highly disturbed by the actions of some of the candidates on the Democratic slate and others in Lyme and Old Lyme who put their name on a petition supporting pornographic content in our towns’ libraries.
With minimal effort, anyone could find out that the books in question promote immoral, unethical and illegal activity.
Shouldn’t we expect that our elected officials and candidates would do their due diligence and research the material before signing something they stand behind?
Here is my comment from the 10/04/23 Region 18 Board of Education meeting:
“At a “meet the candidate” event at Soundview on Sept. 17th, a member of the BOE, Martha Shoemaker, stated that she supported the freedom to read and that her own children would find whatever within minutes on the internet, with or without parental controls.
Yet, she really did not explain why she signed a petition supporting books that tell the children of Old Lyme and Lyme to go to porn sites and chatrooms online and explore kinks and fantasies with adult porn stars in a chapter from the “Let’s Talk About It” book.
We all love freedom, but we also have laws protecting children from visiting age restricted websites and especially chatrooms with porn stars.
A quick google [stet] search into this topic and anyone would have found the “The Child Internet Protection Act”, which was enacted by Congress in 2000 to address concerns about children’s access to obscene or harmful content over the internet.
Adults who put this specific book in front of children which promotes internet pornography are breaking the law. A quote from The New London Day paper on July 30, 2023 from Mary Jo Nosal said “Well, at least by signing the letter, the rest of us know who you are” and so do we.
The names on the petition supporting obscene books in the children’s section includes [stet] Martha Shoemaker, Jason Kemp, an LYSB employee and many others who probably should have done their own research into this issue.
I sincerely hope you all were misled or misinformed, or do you truly support pornographic books and children trolling porn sites?
I would expect our current elected officials and potential candidates to do research on any topic before they would stand behind it. In this case, with this topic, I am highly concerned as a parent, citizen, and a volunteer in our town.I would kindly ask all of you to reevaluate your choice to support pornography and publicly denounce the petition or choose to remove yourself from the BOE because you demonstrated that you are unfit to vote on policies that protect our youth and educational curriculum if you failed to research the material that you are supporting.”
