OLD LYME – Last week Old Lyme Town Clerk Vicki Urbowicz announced that her office has implemented Cott Systems’ PropertyCheckTM in an invigorated effort to combat property and mortgage fraud in the Town of Old Lyme. This 24/7 service allows residents to sign up on the Town Clerk’s webpage on the Town of Old Lyme website to receive notifications when official documents are recorded on their property.
Residents can activate alerts based on their name. This is a free service to the citizens and property owners of Old Lyme.
Property fraud can occur if someone forges your identity, transfers your property into their name, and then records the document. This fraudulent activity can make it appear as if that person owns your home or property – and you may have no idea that this happened. It is, unfortunately, becoming more prevalent today as cyber criminals exploit every avenue they can to cause harm and steal from everyday citizens.
Cott System’s PropertyCheckTM works seamlessly in the background of the Town of Old Lyme’s records management RECORDhub software, automatically triggering an alert on an enrolled record if a document with a matching name is recorded.
To activate this benefit, residents of Old Lyme can simply sign up for PropertyCheckTM alerts via the Town Clerk’s page on the Town’s website at this link.Property owners need to opt-in by first creating a RECORDhubTM account, then setting up alerts for their name, and choosing whether the alerts will be sent via email or text message.
“It’s also a good idea to set up multiple alerts based on first, middle and last name variations and your spouse’s name, to be sure that an alert will be triggered in case a recording happens with some kind of slight variation,” notes Paul Fetters, the Product Implementation Specialist at Cott Systems.
The Town of Old Lyme has partnered with Cott Systems to offer this no-cost solution, adding an additional layer of protection to records data and allowing residents to feel safer in their homes.
Urbowicz explains, “It’s an added level of protection that can bring peace of mind to our residents. I encourage them to sign up.”
Editor’s Note: Cott Systems empowers local government offices to improve efficiency, provide superior constituent service, and preserve the official records entrusted to their care. For more than 135 years, Cott Systems has provided services to local officials to preserve and modernize the rich history of their jurisdiction. In addition to industry-leading software solutions, Cott Systems also offers traditional data and imaging services.For more information, visit cottsystems.com.
The new owner of Old Lyme’s Hallmark Drive-In, Julia Ritchie, cuts the celebratory ribbon at a ceremony held Saturday. Photo by K. Balocca.
OLD LYME — Hallmark Drive-In is back with a new owner, additional menu items, and an enthusiastic staff.
On Saturday June 24, the Old Lyme Economic Development Commission (EDC), along with the Old Lyme Board of Selectmen and State Representative Devin Carney (R-23rd), held a ribbon-cutting for the longtime establishment’s new owner.
Old Lyme resident Julia Ritchie took over the business at the beginning of the summer season. A graduate of the Lyme-Old Lyme School System, Ritchie has worked at Hallmark since she was old enough to seek employment and rose through the ranks to manage the business during summer breaks from UConn where she recently completed her elementary education degree and certification.
Hallmark’s former owner, who also owns AC Petersen in West Hartford, decided to sell the Old Lyme operation as she looks forward to spending time with her first grandchild. She gave the first option to buy Hallmark to Julia, knowing the passion the young manager brought to the business.
Julia Ritchie (third from right) was joined by her family for the ribbon-cutting celebrations. From left to right are her grandfather Paul Wysocki, grandmother Christine Wysocki, brother Jared Ritchie, mother Cynthia Ritchie, brother Jacob Ritchie, and father Brian Ritchie. Photo by C. Poirier.
Ritchie said, “I love the family-oriented nature of the business. My family has been coming to Hallmark since I was little and I have such great memories of getting ice cream here.”
She continued, “Then while working here I fell in love with the nature of the business. I have a lot of fantastic colleagues and that’s why I wanted to purchase the business — I knew I had a team I could trust. They’re really passionate about making the business as best as they can and providing excellent customer service.”
Ritchie’s team is made up of high school and college students, who choose to come back to Hallmark every summer. A popular place for young adults to seek employment, the Hallmark work environment encourages staff to be self-starters. Ritchie commented, “If a problem arises my team will take it upon themselves to fix the issue. We all strive for excellence in customer service, that’s our priority.”
Flanked by Old Lyme First Selectman Tim Griswold to her left in photo and Old Lyme Economic Development Commission Chairperson Cheryl Poirier to her right, the new owner of Hallmark Drive-In Julia Ritchie holds the certificate presented to her to celebrate the ribbon -cutting. State Representative Devin Carney (R-23rd), standing to Poirier’s right, joined the celebrations. Photo by K. Balocca.
As reflected in First Selectman Tim Griswold’s remarks during the ribbon-cutting, the friendly spot along Shore Road has a long history of hospitality.
Known as the “Shady Maple” in the 1960s, the indoor restaurant with counter service was then owned by First Selectman Maurice “Bud” McCarthy and his wife Pat who was Old Lyme’s Registrar of Voters.
In 1972, the business was sold to Lee and Fran Ewers, who changed the name to Hallmark, which was the business they owned down the road.
Hallmark began selling hand-dipped chocolates in 1909 in its shop at the corner of Halls Road. The original owner of Hallmark, Nat Hall, was the first to offer ice cream alongside his chocolates. His ice cream flavors included several that are still on the menu today including ginger, pistachio, and maple walnut.
Today Ritchie and her staff are listening to customers about what additional flavors they would like, and have added Grape-Nut, Peanut Butter Fudge, Strawberry Cheesecake, and Cowabunga Crunch, which has a vanilla ice cream base and includes caramel swirl, pecans and toffee.
Wraps are another menu expansion and include a popular Buffalo Chicken and Ranch. Ritchie explained, “I listen to customer and staff feedback. I watch the Google reviews, and if customers have special requests, we try to do them.” Special dietary options include gluten-free burger buns (or choosing to have a burger on lettuce) and veggie burgers.
Hallmark Drive-In staff cheerfully gathered for a celebratory photo. Photo by C. Poirier.
Other innovations are underway, including the Hallmark punch card – Customers who purchase nine ice creams will receive the 10th one free. Ritchie is also focusing some of her marketing effort on social media videos that provide a behind the scenes look at the restaurant’s operations. Customers, who hold gift cards from past seasons, will have them honored.
During the ribbon cutting, EDC Chairperson Cheryl Poirier thanked everyone for being there to celebrate Julia and her staff “who take good care of all the visitors and residents of Old Lyme, who want to enjoy our town.” Poirier continued, “It’s really important to us that people like Julia and her staff are here to make Old Lyme special, and that’s what this is all about, making Old Lyme special.”
At the same time Julia took over ownership of the Hallmark business, she also signed on to begin her career this fall at Nathan Hale Middle School in East Haddam teaching fifth grade math. Not only do the two professions go hand in hand for the calendar year but will provide experiences that benefit both.
Ritchie said, “I know my students will inspire me, they always have good ideas for ice cream.”
Hallmark staff were soon back at work in the kitchen preparing to serve their traditional tasty treats to customers. Photo by K. Balocca.
During the ribbon cutting, State Rep. Carney congratulated Julia and noted, “It’s great to see such a young entrepreneur buying this business. Hallmark is one of those places that really links everybody in town.”
Ritchie has already shown her focus on Hallmark’s role linking community members together. She hosted the Lyme-Old Lyme (LOL) Middle School’s PTO fundraiser, Wildcat Wednesday, held earlier this month on the last day of school, and has also supported the LOL High School’s Safe Grad effort and LOL Little League.
“Just being in the field of education, I’m committed to supporting school systems, educators, clubs, as well as the other service organizations. I’m really passionate about that and I knew I could do that through the business,” she said.
During the ribbon-cutting, Ritchie showed her gratitude to the several dozen people in attendance and said, “I want to thank everyone for coming today, it means the world to me. I’m ready for this new chapter of Hallmark.”
She later added, “I love the town of Old Lyme and I want to continue to contribute to it.”
OLD LYME — UPDATED 6/25: On Friday, June 23, Katie Huffman, who serves as the Old Lyme Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library Director, released a statement regarding concerns raised by “a group of community members” about some specific books in the library’s collection.
The statement concludes that during the period when, “the Library’s Collection Development Policy and established process” is being pursued, the books in question, “will remain in circulation and are available to request via the Library’s catalog.”
We are publishing the statement in its entirety at this time for the benefit of our readers. We will follow up in more detail on this matter next week.
The statement reads:
“It may have come to your attention that a group of community members are (sic ) concerned about several books in the Library’s collection.
We have received requests to review You Know, Sex: Bodies, Gender, Puberty, and Other Things by Cory Silverberg and Fiona Smyth and Let’s Talk About It: The Teen’s Guide to Sex, Relationships, and Being a Human by Erika Moen and Matthew Nolan.
[Members of t]he Board of Trustees are currently reviewing these titles per the Library’s Collection Development Policy and established process.
In the meantime, these titles will remain in circulation and are available to request via the Library’s catalog.”
Viola E. “Vi” Mazzarella, 76, of Browns Lane, Old Lyme, died June 10, 2023, in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Viola was born Oct. 18, 1946, in New London, the daughter of Andrew and Anna (Foley) Shaw and grew up with her sisters, Beverly Murtha and Andrea Dorko …
Viola is survived by her loving husband Guy; son Tony; daughter-in-law Cheyenne; and granddaughter Merci.
Calling Hours will be held from 5 until 7 p.m. Thursday, June 22, Fulton-Theroux Funeral Home, 13 Beckwith Lane, Old Lyme. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, June 23, in Christ the King Church, 2 McCurdy Road, Old Lyme. Interment will follow in Duck River Cemetery, Old Lyme …
LYME/OLD LYME —The Lyme-Old Lyme High School Class of 1983 is hosting a weekend of festivities to celebrate the 40th anniversary of their graduation. All members of the class are welcome to come and reconnect with old friends.
The Class is still missing some e-mail addresses so members of the Class are asked to forward this notice to friends and acquaintances from the Class of ’83 and to share it as widely as possible on social media.
The main event will be held Saturday, June 24, from 7 to 11 p.m. EST at Langley’s at Great Neck Country Club, 28 Lamphere Rd. Waterford CT 06385.
The festivities begin on Saturday night with a cocktail reception, which includes hot, passed hors d’oeuvres, desserts and coffee. Two hours of an open bar are also included prior to switching to a cash bar.
The reunion will be held outside on the covered patio (unless it rains!) The music will feature some great tunes from the 80s.
Sunday morning offers a Breakfast Open House with bagels, coffee and mimosas. Dress for hiking, badminton or just hanging out.
Contact Kim Peters McAllister at 919-698-8543 for breakfast details and/or more information.
The price is $70 per person. Payment in full must be received to reserve your spot.
Make checks out to Kim McAllister and mail to: Kim McAllister 2719 Freemont Rd Durham, NC 27705
A Venmo account has also been set up @ Kim-Mcallister-48591 and a PayPal account @ RWCKim.
