Monthly Archives: October 2024

Police Officers Assn. of CT Endorses Norm Needleman for 33rd State Senate District, Includes Lyme

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Norm Needleman (D), is the incumbent candidate for 33rd State Senate District, which includes Lyme.

The Police Officers Association of Connecticut has endorsed State Senator Norm Needleman for another term in the Connecticut State Senate.

As the First Selectman of Essex, Sen. Needleman works directly with police and first responders in his community. As a State Senator, he has taken steps to engage with local police departments, assist them where and when possible, and learn more about what they need to best succeed in their roles.

Knowing the vital importance of public safety, Sen. Needleman is committed to supporting policing strategies that benefit both officers and the public, allowing for them to safely and effectively keep our communities protected.

“Police in our communities rush toward danger while the rest of us flee. They play a direct and vital role in our communities, keeping us safe and ensuring those who break the law will meet necessary consequences,” said Sen. Needleman.

He continued, “I am honored to receive the support of the POACT, which represents approximately 5,000 police officers across the state, and will continue working to make sure our communities receive the care and service they need while the people who provide that care and service are able to go home at the end of the day with the compensation they deserve.”

In 2019 and 2023, Sen. Needleman voted for the bipartisan four-year Connecticut State Police labor union contracts providing officers with raises and bonuses as well as improved benefits. Specifically, that contract raised the pay for State Police trooper trainees, which will benefit the state’s ability to recruit and retain qualified troopers.

Sen. Needleman has also voted to support policies providing police officers with access to care for post-traumatic stress caused on the job among other significant improvements.

This latest endorsement comes after previously announced support for Norm from the Independent Party, Retired Teachers of Connecticut, Planned Parenthood, CT Realtors, Reproductive Action Now, 314 Action Fund and AFT Connecticut, among others.

Sen. Needleman was unanimously renominated this spring by the Democratic Party to represent the town of Lyme along with Colchester, Chester, Clinton, Deep River, East Haddam, East Hampton, Essex, Haddam, Old Saybrook, Portland and Westbrook.

In addition to working as Senate Chair of the Energy and Technology Committee, Sen. Needleman also works as Vice Chair of the Planning and Development Committee and a member of the Finance, Revenue and Bonding, Transportation and Commerce Committees.

Sen. Needleman founded and runs a manufacturing company, Tower Laboratories in Centerbrook, and is currently serving his sixth term as the First Selectman of Essex.

Editor’s Note: This article is based on a press release issued by Sen. Needleman’s office.

‘Planned Parenthood’, ‘Reproductive Equity’ Endorse Wisialowski for 23rd District

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Jane Wisialowsi is the Democratic candidate for the 23rd District State Representative.

LYME/OLD LYME/OLD SAYBROOK/ – Leading reproductive rights organizations Planned Parenthood of Connecticut and Reproductive Equity Now have both endorsed Jane Wisialowski in her campaign for 23rd District State Representative (Old Saybrook, Westbrook, Old Lyme, and  Lyme).

These endorsements highlight Wisialowski’s commitment to reproductive rights and healthcare access. 

In a statement announcing the endorsement, Planned Parenthood said of Wisialowski, “We  are grateful that you have indicated that, as a legislator, you are willing to advocate for protecting  and expanding access to sexual and reproductive health and rights for all people.”

The statement added, “We are in an urgent moment and working together we can achieve our vision for a future where all people in Connecticut can realize the right to control their bodies, their lives, and their futures.” 

Reproductive Equity Now announced its endorsement in August: “The right to abortion, contraception, IVF, and all forms of reproductive health care are facing existential threats on the national stage,” president Rebecca Hart Holder said in a statement.

She continued, “Reproductive Equity Now is proud to endorse candidates who are ready to fight for reproductive equity and ensure that Connecticut remains a firewall for abortion access in post-Roe America.” 

“I am so proud to receive the endorsement of these two brave organizations that are on the front line in the fight for women’s reproductive freedom,” said Wisialowski.

She continued, “When elected, I will always fight to protect women’s reproductive  rights, access to contraception and IVF.”

Editor’s Note: This article is based on a press release issued by Jane Wisialowski’s Campaign Office.

Literature in the Lymes: ‘The Life Impossible’ by Matt Haig

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Matt Haig has written some wonderful books.

I recommend The Midnight Library especially and I was pleasantly surprised to find something new in The Life Impossible. Many authors embrace a certain vein but Matt Haig takes a step further with each new book.

Seventy-two-year-old Grace Winters is ready to call it a day. She is a retired, widowed math teacher mourning the death of her only child 30 years ago. Nothing will change. How could it and why in God`s name would she want it to?

She has come to terms with her grief and her passionless existence until a letter arrives from a woman she cheered up one lonely Christmas in 1979. One Christina van der Berg has bequeathed Grace a house in Ibiza … Ibiza, Spain; what on earth?

While she is semi-upside-down having, “Minimally invasive, radio frequency-based vein ablation surgery”, Grace decides to go.

Through the format of a story told to a former student in an email, she tells us of her impossible new life.

It’s a wonderful, humorous, often lonely journey of putting one foot in front of the other. Grace is braver than she expects. She goes diving at night in a tie-dyed bathing suit! She finds a mysterious jar of sea water that fills itself. Finding herself talking to a goat she starts to question her sanity.

Alone in a new place she seeks out people who knew her friend Christina, to try to find out what happened. How and why did Christina die? How did she know it was going to happen? Many things seem unanswerable … but they are.

Nothing she is expecting is there. Nothing we can possibly expect is there. What she finds is more than unexpected. She finds connections to people, to a place, to an unearthly source of strength and consciousness and thought that will save Ibiza.

It saved Christina.

It will save Grace.,

About the author: Jen Petty Hilger grew up in New York and London, England, but finds herself happily quiet living by the water in Old Lyme. She and her husband have six children between them and a myriad of rescued animals.

Lyme-Old Lyme Schools Give Update on PK-8 Building Project

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Renovations at Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School were included in the $57.6 million plan, which residents approved in a November 2022 referendum.

Project Costs for Three of Four Schools Now $119K Under Budget 
OLD LYME—The Lyme-Old Lyme (LOL) Board of Education has today given an update on the progress of the PK-8 Building Project for which voters approved $57,555,000 in November 2022. 

The project itself is, more accurately, two different projects as they are being supported by two different state grant programs.   

Prior to the referendum, the district received an Extension and Alteration Grant commitment from the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) for Mile Creek School in the amount of $9,075,088.

Subsequent to the referendum, three district schools (Center School, Lyme School, and LOL Middle School) received a separate HVAC/Indoor Air Quality grant from DAS in the amount of $12,009,717.   

Only the first of these two grants was anticipated in the planning and informational materials provided to the voters at the time of the referendum. The additional $12 million in grants reduced the amount of local tax dollars necessary to fund the project. These additional grant monies, combined with the lower interest rate environment for bonds and notes, will save the Lyme-Old Lyme community around $16 million.  

Lyme-Old Lyme Schools Superintendent Ian Neviaser said, “We are proud of these additional savings this early in the process yet remain committed to completing the project within the amount authorized at referendum.” He explained that In order to do so, the Board of Education’s Building Committee had taken action to address what were initially very high bid responses for some portions of the work.  Rebidding certain components of the project resulted in over $3 million of cost reductions.

In addition, the committee, with approval from the board of education, reassigned the proposed renovation work for the security vestibules at Lyme School, Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School, and Center School from the PK-8 project budget to the  board of education’s “rainy day” fund at an estimated cost of approximately $1 million, with such work to be completed on the same schedule as had been originally planned as a part of the PK-8 project.  

Upon the recommendation of the building committee, and with the endorsement of the fire marshal, the board of education also approved retaining the existing compartmentalized fire protection system in lieu of adding sprinklers at Lyme School and Mile Creek School. 

These decisions, along with a few other minor adjustments, have allowed the building committee to finalize project costs for Lyme School, Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School, and Center School that are $119,612 under budget. 

The committee expects to receive bid responses for the Mile Creek School project on or about Oct. 17, 2024. The portion of work relative to Mile Creek is estimated to represent about $25 million of the total PK-8 project cost. 

Neviaser concluded, “We share this good news to keep our communities informed and commend those involved for their commitment to completing these projects on time and within the approved budget.” 

Lyme-Old Lyme HS Awarded Michael’s Cup for Sportsmanship for Sixth Consecutive Year

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OLD LYME—UPDATED 10/10 WITH COMMENTS FROM LOL SCHOOLS ATHLETIC DIRECTOR. On Monday, Oct. 7, Lyme-Old Lyme High School (LOLHS) will be recognized as a recipient of the 2023-24 Michaels Jewelers Achievement Cup Award during the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference’s (CIAC) 18th Annual Sportsmanship Conference.

Announcing the award in a press release, the (CIAC) explains, “Schools that are part of the CIAC’s Class Act program can be considered for the Michaels Jewelers Achievement Cup Award.”

The announcement continues, “The Michaels Jewelers Cup Committee recognized these exemplary athletics programs for their willingness to subscribe to the Class Act Sportsmanship standards, empowering students to take an active role in their school climate, and their continued support for community service. These schools have made sportsmanship a priority in their district.”

We asked Hildie Heck, who serves as Athletic Director of Lyme-Old Lyme Schools, how she was feeling after the award was announced. She replied in an email saying, “In my opinion, the Michael’s Cup award is a testament to the incredible culture we’ve cultivated at LOLHS. This recognition is a direct reflection of the hard work and dedication of our student-athletes, who have consistently demonstrated excellence both on the field/court and in the classroom.

She continued, “The coaches also deserve credit for setting high standards and creating a positive, supportive atmosphere that empowers our students to thrive. And of course, we must recognize the support of our parents, who support the initiative and programs.”

Heck concluded, “Ultimately, I believe this award speaks to the collaborative effort of our entire school community. By working together and giving our students a voice, we’ve been able to foster an environment where they can truly excel as athletes and leaders. It’s an honor to be recognized for six consecutive years, and I’m excited to see what the future holds for our programs.”

Lyme-Old Lyme Schools Superintendent Ian Neviaser

Asked his reaction to the award by LymeLine, Lyme-Old Lyme Superintendent of Schools Ian Neviaser responded by email saying, “We are so proud of the continued recognition of our student athletes, our coaches, and our athletic department as they demonstrate the utmost commitment to sportsmanship across all of our programs.”

He continued, “This honor embodies the values we strive to impart to all participants and hope to continue this success for many more years.” 

Twenty eight schools in the state have been recognized with the Michaels Cup honor this year. Lyme-Old Lyme High School is receiving the honor for a remarkable sixth consecutive year.

The other schools earning the award are Academy of Aerospace & Engineering, Academy of Computer Science & Engineering, Academy of International Studies, Academy of Science & Innovation, Amity Regional High School, Bethel High School, Bloomfield High School, Brookfield High School, Canton High School, Cheshire High School, Danbury High School, Daniel Hand High School, Derby High School, East Catholic High School, Joel Barlow High School, Killingly High School, Ledyard High School, New Fairfield High School, New Milford High School, Newtown High School, Norwalk High School, Simsbury High School, St. Paul Catholic High School, Stamford High School, Valley Regional High School, Westbrook High School, and Weston High School.