Category Archives: Departments

Old Lyme’s Gilbert Wins Mile at New England Championship with Record-Breaking Time

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Lyme-Old Lyme High School junior Chase Gilbert stands atop the medal podium after her record-breaking first place win in the New England Championship mile. Photos by A. Mercaldi.

Old Lyme’s Eastman-Grossel Comes Fifth in 300m Setting Both LOLHS Record, Personal Best

BOSTON, MA—UPDATED 1:30pm with coach’s comments: At yesterday’s New England Indoor Track and Field Championship held at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center in Boston, Mass., Old Lyme’s Chase Gilbert took first place in the mile with a time of 4:48.45, setting not only a meet record, but also a Lyme-Old Lyme High School (LOLHS) record and a personal best.

Chase Gilbert celebrates her victory in the mile at the New England Championships.

Old Lyme senior Zoe Eastman-Grossel came in fifth in the 300 meters with a time of 40.14, setting both a LOLHS record and a personal best.

After her graduation from LOLHS in June this year, Eastman-Grossel has committed to run D1 Track and Field at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.

Zoe Eastman-Grossel displays her medal after coming in fifth in the 300 meters at the New England Championships with both a school record and a personal best time.

Asked how she felt about these remarkable achievements, LOLHS Track & Field Coach Alyssa Mercaldi told LymeLine exclusively, ” We are incredibly proud of Chase and Zoe.”

She continued, “After both battling injuries last indoor season, their resilience and determination to come back stronger have been truly inspiring.

Mercaldi concluded, “Seeing their hard work payoff is a testament to their dedication and perseverance.”

Editor’s Note: Congratulations from all of us at LymeLine to these exceptional athletes on their record-breaking results!

Lyme-Old Lyme Food Share Garden Thanks Community for Support After Founder Jim Ward’s Death, Expresses Appreciation for Numerous Donations in His Memory

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The late Jim Ward, founder of the Lyme-Old Lyme Food Share Garden

“The garden goes on and Jim’s legacy of growing and providing healthy food for our community and neighbors will thrive” (LOLFSG Board)

The garden lives on—a substantial crop of hydroponic lettuces has been harvested from the new greenhouse at Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School.

LYME/OLD LYME—The Lyme Old Lyme Food Share Garden (LOLFSG) Board has asked us to publish this statement to the community on its behalf:

A volunteer checks the roots of the hydroponic lettuces.

“The Lyme Old Lyme Food Share Garden (LOLFSG) board members would like to acknowledge and thank the community for their support as we mourn the loss of our founder, Jim Ward. The generosity of your donations in his memory as well as your thoughtful notes are so very much appreciated.

Hydroponic lettuces grow in a vertical mode in the LOLMS greenhouse.

The board continues to work diligently through this difficult transition.

A crop of hydroponic lettuce from the new greenhouse at the Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School (LOLMS) was harvested this winter and donated to the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme’s Food Pantry. A second wave of lettuce, spinach and peas is in the works.

Preparations for our fourth growing season at the garden are well underway with the first work party being organized for mid-March.

The garden goes on and Jim’s legacy of growing and providing healthy food for our community and neighbors will thrive.

Visit the LOLFSG website to learn more about opportunities for you at the Garden in the coming season.

For further information or any questions, contact Amy Malsbary at amelia.malsbary@gmail.com.”

Old Lyme is Runner-Up in ‘USA Today’s’ National “Best Small Towns Art Scene” Poll

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Old Lyme’s Midsummer Festival , which features work by the ‘Fence Artists’ shown above, draws thousands of visitors each year.

“Thrilled [to be] Considered … a top pick” (Cheryl Poirier, Old Lyme EDC Chair)

OLD LYME—Yesterday, USA Today announced the results of its 2025 Readers’ Choice Award for Best Small Town Arts Scene. Old Lyme came in second behind Vermillion, S.D.

The full list of winners in descending order is as follows:

  • Vermillion, South Dakota
  • Old Lyme, Connecticut
  • Saugatuck, Michigan
  • Orange Beach, Alabama
  • Tubac, Arizona
  • Lucas, Kansas
  • Saratoga Springs, New York
  • Abingdon, Virginia
  • McCook, Nebraska
  • Stowe, Vermont

The article in USA Today revealing the results states, “Bigger isn’t always better, especially when it comes to these 10 small towns, each with a population of fewer than 30,000 people (as of the last census). They were selected by an expert panel and voted by [USA Today] readers as the best in the U.S. for their arts scenes, because what each of these towns lacks in size, they make up for with museums, art galleries, performing arts, and busy event calendars.”

Asked for her reaction to the result, Old Lyme Economic Development Commission Chair Cheryl Poirier told LymeLine exclusively, “We are thrilled that USA Today considered us a top pick as one of America’s Best Small Town Arts Scenes, and are full of gratitude for the many people who voted for us this past month. Many folks were voting daily as permitted and telling their friends to vote as well.”

She continued, “Although we came in second to another great small town, we are still proud to consider ourselves tops. Our many community members who take part in our arts organizations help to make Old Lyme the very special place that it is, and are just one reason why so many people love to call us “home.”

USA Today had previously cited these reasons for including Old Lyme in their finalists: “This town was once home to a thriving artist colony which later became the Lyme Art Association. The work of many important American artists from the colonial period to today can be found at the Florence Griswold Museum.”

The article continued,“Both are part of the Old Lyme Arts District, a vibrant central village area with art galleries, live music and the prestigious Lyme Academy of Fine Arts. Artists of all experience levels appreciate painting en plein air in the town’s beautiful natural surroundings. Old Lyme has an annual Midsummer Festival in July that is a celebration of art, music, and classic cars.“

Old Lyme Basketball Boys are Shoreline Champions!

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Sweet victory! The Lyme-Old Lyme Wildcats celebrate their 59-55 win over East Hampton in the Shoreline Championship. All photos by Warner Swain except where indicated.

MADISON, CT—On Tuesday evening, Feb. 25, the Lyme-Old Lyme boys’ basketball team won the Shoreline Championship defeating East Hampton 59-55.

Old Lyme sophomore Eddie Fiske, Jr. (#34) scored a game-high 24 points for the Wildcats.

Sophomore Eddie Fiske scored a game-high 24 points for the Wildcats while junior Colman Curtiss-Reardon added 17—Oliver Wyman notched 11 points for Old Lyme.

Old Lyme junior Colman Curtiss-Reardon advances down the court in Tuesday’s Shoreline Championship game against East Hampton. He netted 17 points in the game.

Brady Lynch was top scorer for the Bellringers with 17 points with Austin Cuthbertsin adding 12—Bryson Milton scored 10 points.

Old Lyme’s Brady Sheffield was named Shoreline Conference “Coach of the Year” before the game began.

Old Lyme, who are the reigning state champions, will compete next in the CIAC Division V State Tournament entering as the #3 seed. Their opponent, the date, and location of their first game is yet to be announced.

Old Lyme’s Eddie Fiske, Jr., at far right, was named Shoreline Conference “Player of the Year” and awarded 1st Team All Conference.

Prior to the start of the game, this season’s Shoreline All-Conference selections were announced. Lyme-Old Lyme honors were as follows:

  • Brady Sheffield – Shoreline Conference “Coach of the Year”
  • Eddie Fiske Jr. – Shoreline Conference “Player of the Year” and “1st Team All Conference”.
  • Colman Curtiss-Reardon – Second Team All Conference
  • Ryan Hill – All Conference Honorable Mention
Shoreline champions! The Old Lyme Wildcats proudly celebrate their 59-55 victory over East Hampton. Photo by A. Hine.

CONGRATULATIONS, WILDCATS!

Breaking News: Thursday’s Zoning Meeting Postponed at First Selectwoman, Applicant’s Request

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OLD LYME— UPDATED 6:10 p.m. with details of letter sent requesting postponement of meeting.

The Old Lyme (OL) Zoning Commission meeting scheduled for Thursday has been postponed at the applicant’s request.

Today, Old Lyme First Selectwoman Martha Shoemaker sent a letter to Paul Orzel, Chairman of the OL Zoning Commission, saying, “The Halls Road Improvement Committee and I acknowledge that the Zoning Commission has received many additional exhibits and request additional time to review them. We would like to request to postpone the meeting of February 27, 2025, until late March 2025. This will provide the committee with additional time to review the exhibits.”

The letter was copied to Eric Knapp, Old Lyme Land Use Coordinator; Edie Twining, Chair of the Halls Road Improvement Committee, and William R. Sweeney, Attorney for the Halls Road project.

Editor’s Note: We will update this post with more details as we receive them.