Category Archives: Departments

Republicans Nominate State Rep. Devin Carney for Re-Election in 23rd District; Includes Lyme, Old Lyme

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State Rep. Devin Carney (R-23rd) has been endorsed by 23rd District Republicans as their candidate to seek re-election in the November election.

OLD SAYBROOK/OLD LYME/LYME/WESTBROOK—On Thursday, May 16, State Rep. Devin Carney (R-23rd) announced his unanimous endorsement from 23rd District Republicans.

In a convention held at the Vicki Duffy Pavilion in Old Saybrook, Carney received the nod from delegates from the district’s four communities: Lyme, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook, and Westbrook. 

Rep. Carney was first elected to serve the 23rd District in 2015. He is now seeking his sixth term in the position.

“I’ve always worked hard to put the people of the 23rd District first – above special interests and party interests,” said Carney, who in 2021 earned a national award for his bipartisan approach to legislating.

He continued, “To me, this is my responsibility as Representative. It is the honor of a lifetime to go  to Hartford to be the voice of our communities, and I look forward to spending this summer and fall to tell constituents about my work and listen to their concerns and ideas about how we can work together to make Connecticut a better state for everyone.” 

During his tenure, Rep. Carney has maintained a strong attendance record at the Capitol and has continued to be active in community events in all four towns of the 23rd district. Rep. Carney  has also been praised for his accessibility, bipartisanship, and work ethic during his tenure as State Representative.

He is also known for being a stalwart advocate for small towns and, in 2024, was given the “Town Crier Award” by the Connecticut Council of Small Towns for his legislative work. 

Rep. Carney serves in a leadership role within his caucus as the House Republican Policy Chair and also serves as the House Co-Chair of the bipartisan Future Caucus.

His committee assignments have put him at the center of many important policy debates at the Capitol. On the Transportation  Committee, he worked to improve safety on District roads and bridges and to improve operations at the DMV. On the Education Committee, Rep. Carney fought to give communities local control over education and to stop government mandates that can hurt children’s learning. 

“Our local public schools are a source of pride for our communities and the state should not be able to dictate what we teach or how we teach it,” said Carney. He added, “As long as I am State Representative, I will fight any measures that will weaken the quality and integrity of our education.”  

Serving on the Finance, Revenue, & Bonding Committee, Rep. Carney has focused on balancing the state budget, paying down debt, and growing the local economy and jobs. His involvement during the 2023 budget negotiations led to a reduction in taxes on pensions and retirement accounts.

“Improving affordability and opportunity in Connecticut and confidence in government are incredibly important to me and I will continue pushing policies to achieve these goals,” Rep. Carney concluded.

In addition to his legislative work, Rep. Carney works locally in finance and volunteers for many local organizations. He serves on the the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center Board of Trustees, on the board of Old Saybrook Senior Housing; he is a member of both the Greater Old Saybrook Chamber of Commerce, and the Rotary Club of Old Saybrook.

He was also recently appointed National Caucus of Environmental Legislators Board Treasurer.

Editor’s Note: This article is based on a press release issued by State Representative Devin Carney (R-23rd).

Mastroianni Nominated by Republicans to Challenge State Sen. Martha Marx in 20th District, Includes Old Lyme

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Shaun Mastroianni is the Republican-endorsed candidate for the 20th State Senate District, which includes Old Lyme.

OLD LYME — Shaun Mastroianni has accepted the Republican nomination for the 20th State Senate District, which includes Old Lyme, along with Bozrah, East Lyme, New London, Salem, Waterford and parts of Montville and Old Saybrook.

He will challenge incumbent State Sen. Martha Marx (D-New London), who has served one term..

In a news release, Mastroianni says, “As a parent, I understand the challenges so many families are facing today. We need a Senator who will address the kitchen table issues.”

Mastroianni commits that he will, “… work to reduce sky high inflation, support greater access to affordable health care, and promote policies that expand job growth and create opportunity for all.”

He continues, “Currently, I live in Old Lyme with my husband and daughter. We own two successful businesses along the shoreline. We have always been involved in our community, giving back, serving on committees, boards, and helping local nonprofits.”

Mastroianni concludes, “I have had a successful career in the senior living industry and serve as Connecticut Baptist Homes, Inc’s Chief Operating Officer. When we are not working or volunteering you can find us enjoying the outdoors in our yard or garden.”

Student/Faculty ‘Beyond the Figure’ Exhibition on View at Lyme Academy Through Sept. 1

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OLD LYME – The Lyme Academy of Fine Arts announces the opening on May 19 of Beyond the Figure: A Student and Faculty Exhibition. The exhibition will be on view to the public until Sept. 1, 2024. 

‘Study of Alama-Tadema’s ‘Between Hope and Fear’ by first-year Core Drawing student Jude Dutton is the signature work for the upcoming ‘Beyond the Figure’ exhibition at Lyme Academy.

In 2021, with fresh leadership at its helm, the Lyme Academy of Fine Arts reopened its doors to students and welcomed a new generation of artists to its Core Programs. Beyond the Figure: A  Student and Faculty Exhibition is the first opportunity to witness the results of this rebirth,  through the work of its faculty and their students. 

Lyme Academy is quickly being recognized nationally and internationally for its innovative arts curriculum and as an epicenter for drawing, painting, and sculpture in the figurative tradition. This exhibition is an invitation to learn more about the Lyme Academy’s uniqueness and impact today, as it trains the success stories of tomorrow. 

The Academy’s Co-Artistic Director Jordan Sokol comments, “The Lyme Academy of Fine Arts is forging a new educational model, one that bucks the current trend of deskilling in art education. We’re thrilled to see such a surge of interest among aspiring artists in our mission to reintroduce time-honored traditions in a modern idiom. This exhibition is an exciting opportunity to learn more about the students, who are coming from all over the country to study here, as well as the world-renowned faculty that is instructing them.” 

Faculty members that are represented in the exhibition include: Todd Casey, Hollis Dunlap,  Chad Fisher, Michael Grimaldi, Amaya Gurpide, Zachary Kainz, Rick Lacey, Thomas Lapine, Mina Mohtasham, Alicia Ponzio, Edmond Rochat, Alex Venezia, Gary Weisman, and Treacy  Ziegler.

The events begin at 4 p.m. with In Conversation with the WSJ’s Lance Esplund, which will take place in the Academy’s Cole Studio. This will be followed by an exhibition preview and reception in the Academy’s Chauncey-Stillman Gallery from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Note that select artworks from this exhibition will be offered for sale throughout the evening. 

Lance Esplund writes about art forThe Wall Street Journal. Previously, he was US art critic for Bloomberg News and chief art critic for the New York Sun.

He has taught studio art and art history at the Parsons School of Design and Rider University, and has served as visiting MFA critic at the New York Studio School. His essays have appeared in Art in America, Harper’s, Modern Painters, and The New Republic, among others.

Esplund lives in Brooklyn, New York. 

Emily Weeks received her Ph.D. from the Department of the History of Art at Yale University in December 2004. Currently she is an independent art historian and consultant for museums,  academic institutions, auction houses, private collectors, and multimedia organizations in America, Britain, Europe, and the Middle East.

She also serves as Principal Lecturer in the Histories of Art at Lyme Academy of Fine Arts in Old Lyme, Conn. Dr. Weeks is a leading expert on Orientalism and 19th-century British and European visual culture; she is also  the acknowledged expert on the artist Jean-Léon Gérôme, about whom she is curating a major exhibition in Doha, Qatar.

William Pitt-Julia B. Fee Sotheby’s Closes Highest-Ever Home Sale in Old Lyme

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On May 14, the property at 5-1 Pilgrim Landing (pictured above) closed for $4,019,500—the highest ever home sale in Old Lyme. Photo by Frank DiNardi.

OLD LYME — On Tuesday, May 14, William Pitt-Julia B. Fee Sotheby’s International Realty announced today the closing of the highest-ever residential real estate sale in Old Lyme, Conn. The Connecticut River-front estate located at 5-1 Pilgrim Landing Rd, listed with Colette Harron and Beth Cote, sold for $4,019,500.

“We are honored to have the highest sale in Old Lyme with this beautiful property, and so pleased that the sale makes such a significant statement about the desirability of this area,” said Harron. “Exuding classic Americana charm, this estate is one of the most remarkable homes on the Connecticut Shoreline. It sits on 48 private acres at the edge of the Connecticut River, offering incredible views and rich architectural heritage.”

Known as Quarry House, the property overlooks Pilgrims Landing, the Connecticut River, and Goose and Calves Island, with more than 1,000 feet of linear water frontage, a deep water dock and a boat launch. The home was built in 1930 by architect Dudley St. Clair Donnelly, who is known for Renaissance and Colonial Revival designs, and modified in 1972 by Thomas Greer Coles to add a master suite, office and guest house.  

The 5,158 sq. ft. Colonial main home offers a spacious and open floor plan with elegant dental moldings and built-ins, custom millwork, arched top doors and hardwood floors throughout the living spaces. Adjacent to the main home, the guest house features a kitchenette, bedroom, full bath and water views from every room. The expansive property includes a fishing pond, granite ledges, hiking trails, a private beach and a gunite swimming pool with a bluestone patio and elevated spa.

“This is a classic and elegant home that brings together the best of past and present,” Cote said. “We are thrilled to complete this sale and find new owners who will have a chance to preserve its legacy.”

Editor’s Note Founded in 1949, William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty and Julia B. Fee Sotheby’s International Realty manages a $5.8 billion portfolio with more than 1,100 sales associates in 29 brokerages spanning Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York. The company is one of the largest Sotheby’s International Realty(R) affiliates globally and the 35th-largest real estate company by sales volume in the United States. For more information, visit the website at williampitt.com.

Donations Sought to Fund Renovation of LOLMS Greenhouse by Lyme-OL Food Share Garden, LOL Schools

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The Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School greenhouse pictured above will be renovated by a mutually beneficial partnership comprising the Lyme-Old Lyme Food Share Garden and Lyme-Old Lyme Schools.

Joint Project Will Reduce Local Food Insecurity, Advance Student Engagement

LYME/OLD LYME—The Lyme-Old Lyme Food Share Garden (LOLFSG) is partnering with the Region 18 School District to renovate the Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School greenhouse. The project will advance the garden’s mission to reduce local food insecurity while serving as a site to foster student curiosity and engagement.  

​The LOLFSG share of the project is $8000, which represents approximately 40 percent of the renovation costs.  The LOLFSG is raising money through a crowd-sourcing effort supported by Sustainable CT. If LOLFSG can raise $4000, then Sustainable CT’s innovative Community Match Fund will match the remaining $4000. Donations in any amount are welcome. To view an insightful video about the project and/or to donate, visit http://patronicity.com/greenhouserenovation.

This Sustainable CT Fund provides fast, flexible funding to implement projects that align with a variety of sustainability actions. The Fund is structured to support and amplify grassroots efforts that strive to transform their community, neighborhood, and town for the good.  

Access to a greenhouse will allow the LOLFSG to increase production by starting and maintaining plants for late-season crops. While researching greenhouse options, Jim Ward, LOLFSG President, noticed that the aging middle school greenhouse was currently unusable. 

Ward approached RSD 18 administration about a potential partnership to renovate and modernize the structure. Following a series of conversations between school personnel, garden members, and greenhouse professionals, the idea took root.  

This photo shows the current interior of the Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School greenhouse prior to the renovation project.

Garden volunteers will also maintain educational exhibits for use by students such as a vermicomposting (worm) bin and a hydroponic display. Teachers and students will have access to the greenhouse for classroom use or club projects.  

The Lyme-Old Lyme Food Share Garden is a nonprofit organization started in 2021 to reduce food insecurity in local communities by growing and donating fresh produce. Located at Town Woods Park, the LOLFSG is a fully volunteer organization. In the past two growing seasons, more than 5000 pounds of fresh produce has been donated to the Shoreline Soup Kitchen and Pantries and the United Way.  

Garden volunteers also compost food waste and maintain a pollinator pathway.