OLD LYME — On Monday evening at the Annual Town Meeting, Edie Twining was named Old Lyme’s 2022 ‘Citizen of the Year.’
We asked her how she felt about receiving the honor and she sent us this response:
“I was quite surprised to be given this award and I appreciate the recognition. Like many others in the town I am involved in several volunteer positions. If I join an organization it is because I believe in what they are doing and expect to assist in any way my particular skills will help.”
She continued. “Currently I am on the board of the OLLT, OLHSI, and chair the Halls Road Committee. I have redesigned and built three new websites, created logos, illustrated and produced materials for hand-outs and fundraising. As a designer I aim to raise the bar to produce high quality materials that aid in defining the organization’s values and purpose.”
She emphasized,, “I volunteer, not for recognition, but because I believe in what the organization is doing,” adding, “I’m impressed with how many things in Old Lyme are completely run by volunteers. Civic, cultural, and environmental entities have a presence here that further defines the town of Old Lyme. Each volunteer brings their special set of skills to these positions and is part of what keeps our town operational beyond the key town employee’s hard work.”
Twining stressed, “It is important to recognize how many people in Old Lyme give their time freely to our town,” concluding, “I am honored to join in the ranks of Old Lyme’s Citizens of the Year.”
Pictured in the photo above are, from left to right, Jason Howell, Heather Bannister, Ariana Eaton, Jackie Alix and Dan Labriola.
LYME — On Monday evening, members of Lyme Ambulance and Lyme Fire Company turned out to train with a Life Star crew. The training exercise included the Life Star helicopter landing in a field at Tiffany Farm on Hamburg Rd., which is one of the specified landing zones in Lyme.
The fire and ambulance service members that participated in the exercise described it as, “A great night of training.”
The Life Star helicopter landed at the side of Hamburg Rd. in Lyme.
In operation for more than 35 years, Life Star is Harford Hospital’s critical care 24/7 air medical service.
Trained crews, including medical personnel flying out of Midstate Medical Center in Meriden and William W. Backus Hospital in Norwich, transport more than 1,000 trauma and emergency patients each year. The crew consists of a flight nurse, flight respiratory therapist, pilot, mechanic, and communication specialist.
The LIFE STAR service operates two American American Eurocopter EC-145. Both can travel at 155 miles per hour and either can be airborne within minutes of a request for service.
Given the life-or-death nature of their mission, Life Star helicopters have air space priority over virtually every other plane in Connecticut.
Edie Twining, second from right, was named Old Lyme’s 2022 Citizen of the Year at tonight’s Annual Town Meeting. She stands in this photo with the Old Lyme First Selectman Tim Griswold (second from left) and Selectwoman Martha Shoemaker (left) and Selectman Matt Ward (right.) Photo by C. Poirier.
OLD LYME — At Monday night’s Annual Town Meeting held in Old Lyme’s Memorial Town Hall, Old Lyme First Selectman Tim Griswold enthusiastically declared, “We are excited to announce that Old Lyme’s Citizen of the Year for 2022 is the very talented Edie Twining. Edie is passionate about Old Lyme, its history, and its sense of place… and her local involvement speaks to that.”
He continued, “Edie is very active serving the Town of Old Lyme in various capacities. Having served on the Economic Development Commission and now as the Chair of the Halls Road Improvement Committee, Edie has worked tirelessly to develop the Halls Road Overlay District that, if approved, will allow property owners along Halls Road greater flexibility to develop their properties. The Committee is also planning to rebuild the Bow Bridge, a pedestrian bridge over the Lieutenant River which was part of the artistic heritage of Old Lyme. On the Town’s Economic Development Commission Edie worked toward creating new opportunities for existing Old Lyme businesses and our future businesses.”
Griswold added, “Members of the Old Lyme Land Trust are pleased that Edie is on their Board. She has been a long-time steward of the Lohmann-Buck-Twining Preserve and Co-Chair of the Trust’s Outreach Committee. She is often seen maintaining trails on Trust properties and she recently led the effort to design and construct benches for the enjoyment of hikers.”
Holding her just-received bouquet, Edie Twining acknowledges being named Old Lyme’s 2022 Citizen of the Year. Photo by M. Dickey.
The citation announcing Twining’s honor then stated, “Edie brings to everything she does a keen eye for design. As an example, her hand drawn illustrations for the Old Lyme Historical Society’s Walking Tour of Lyme Street brochure continues to delight local residents and history buffs alike. As a Board member of the Society, she also volunteers to seasonally refresh the Society’s display cases – in the Post Office, in Town Hall and in the Society’s building at 55 Lyme Street.
Edie has lent her talents to the Old Lyme Arts District, produced marketing materials for the annual Make Music Old Lyme event and helped create the Explore Old Lyme.com web site.”
Griswold concluded, “On behalf of the people of Old Lyme, the members of the Board of Selectmen offer their hearty congratulations to Edie Twining on being designated the Old Lyme Citizen of the Year for 2022.”
Others added words of support in the proclamation.
Cheryl Poirier, Chair of Old Lyme’s Economic Development Commission and of the Old Lyme Arts District, commented, “I am delighted Edie Twining is being recognized for her unwavering commitment to the Old Lyme community. Edie and I have collaborated on many efforts including the EDC, the Halls Road Improvement Committee, the Old Lyme Arts District, as well as the marketing materials for Make Music Old Lyme, and most recently, the creation of Explore Old Lyme.com.”
She continued, ” Edie is passionate about Old Lyme, its history, and its continued sense of place. Edie brings to everything she does a keen eye for design, which is reflected in the many things she has created, including the Historical Society’s Walking Tour of Lyme Street brochure. Her hand-drawn illustrations and easy to use fold-out brochure continue to delight local residents and history-buff visitors alike.”
Poirier noted, “As the Chair of the Halls Road Improvement Committee, and as past commissioner on the Economic Development Commission, Edie has spent countless volunteer hours collaborating to ensure Old Lyme continues to meet the needs of today’s residents while creating new opportunities for our future businesses. One of the great things about volunteering in Old Lyme is that you make wonderful friends along the way. I am proud to say that Edie and I not only challenge each other’s thinking on our many projects, but she is also my friend. Well done, Edie Twining!”
Another photo of Old Lyme’s 2022 Citizen of the Year Edie Twining (second from right) standing with the Old Lyme Board of Selectmen. Photo by K. Balocca.
Howard Margules, who served as Co-Chair with Twining on the Halls Road Improvement Committee, said, “Grit, tenacity, smarts, no nonsense common sense, responsible, capable, integrity, caring these are the essence of my friend, Edie Twining. I have worked with Edie for over a decade on both the Economic Development Commission and Halls Road Improvement Committee, and I am always amazed at her dedication and sense of purpose.”
He added, “Edie’s connection to Old Lyme goes back, way back. Her father played a leadership role in the economic development of Old Lyme in the 1950s and they share that same sense of purpose. Both on a mission to improve, enhance and secure the future of Old Lyme. Edie is not one for seeking the limelight, and I can see her squirming when she receives this award; It is unexpected, but certainly well earned. I applaud the town for recognizing her numerous contributions.”
Sabine O’Donnell and Lea Harty, who are member of the Old Lyme Land Trust Board, were gracious in their praise of Twining’s contributions to the trust saying, “The Old Lyme Land Trust Board is very fortunate that Edie has chosen to join its ranks. For the past four years, Edie has worked tirelessly to bring insights to board discussions on how the Trust can coordinate its mission and projects with other town organizations to benefit Old Lyme and its citizens.”
They said, “Edie is a longtime steward of the Lohmann-Buck-Twining preserve and co-chairs the Trust’s Outreach Committee. She enjoys rolling up her sleeves to join other volunteers to maintain the many trails on Trust preserves and, among her many initiatives, recently came up with a bench design and then organized a bench building party at her home that had three generations of local families involved in a fun activity. Edie’s many creative talents are also on display whenever new signs or brochures are needed, and she also maintains the Trust’s informative website.”
O’Donnell and Harty concluded emphatically, “We believe Edie’s designation as Volunteer of the Year of the Town of Old Lyme is very much deserved.”
HARTFORD — Connecticut lawmakers on three legislative committees tried to tackle the real estate market Tuesday during an informational session on home sales, affordability, and construction.
Jessica Lautz, chief economist and vice president of research for the National Association of REALTORS, told the Housing, Planning and Development and Insurance and Real Estate Committees, that there are only 3,600 homes for sale in all of Connecticut. That’s down from 17,000 homes for sale in 2017.
The median price for a single-family home has also increased from $235,000 in 2017 to …
LYME/OLD LYME — It is always interesting in early January of one year to crunch the numbers and see which stories drew the highest number of readers in the previous year. This year was no exception — there were some predictable winners like the announcement of the Old Lyme 2021 Citizen of the Year and the unexpected (and unsuccessful, as far as we know) auction of the Old Lyme Shopping Center.
There were several pandemic-related articles such as the opening of applications for ARPA grants in Old Lyme and a dramatic increase in the number of Connecticut towns in the Red Zone in April. The decision by the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme to hold its White Elephant Sale after a two-year Covid-enforced hiatus was greeted enthusiastically by many readers as was news that Lyme-Old Lyme Schools had dropped their COVID mask-mandate.
Controversial issues always prompt a rise in readers and predictably the whole business about the then-insuperable obstacles facing Old Lyme’s Open Space Commissions’ efforts to acquire two parcels of the Ames property fell into that category. Similarly, people wanted to read all about the appointment of a new face to the OL Economic Development Commission against both the recommendation of its chair and over an incumbent. The still-ongoing saga of the Tantummaheag access dispute made the list as did the subject of armed guards in Lyme-Old Lyme Schools.
Sad news also invariably attracts increased readership and so the announcement of the passing of our beloved food writer Lee White is on our list as is the unanticipated departure of the then-director of the Florence Griswold Museum.
There were surprisingly few politically-related stories in our Top 15 for 2022, even though it was a feisty election year. The one that did make the list related to a well-known Old Lyme resident being the major funder of a new Republican PAC in the state.
We knew Maureen Haseley-Jones’s gardening columns were popular, but it was a slight surprise that February’s — of all months — crept into our Top 15. Congratulations , Maureen!
But the biggest surprise of all was the most-read story of the year, which, against all odds, was the second and final segment of a two-part-story about the history of tobacco in Connecticut!
It is a particularly topical article for today — Martin Luther King, Jr. Day — because (and who knew?), MLK worked in the summers of both 1944 and 1947 on a tobacco farm in Simsbury to earn money for tuition. He wrote to his father that, “there was no discrimination at all,” north of Washington DC, adding that up North, “We go to any place we want to and sit anywhere we want to.”
King wrote in his autobiography, “It was a bitter feeling going back to segregation after those summers in Connecticut.”
Corey Kilgannon wrote in the New York Times that the dream of equality that MLK first glimpsed in Simsbury helped reshape his world view, adding, “It was during those summers that King began his path to becoming a minister.”
Congratulations to our very own Tom Gotowka on being the author of our most-read article in 2022!
We have a feeling the article was picked up by some research entities, which may have increased its readership numbers, but that takes nothing away from the simple fact that it recorded more readers than any other article in the whole of 2022!
The complete list of our Top 15 most-read articles for 2022 in descending order is as follows:
