Old Lyme Sports Round-up: Mix of Wins, Losses for Old Lyme Teams

Boy’s Soccer
On Monday, Sept. 16, Old Saybrook defeated Old Lyme 3-0. Coached by Allyson Gleason, the Wildcats were playing at home and their record now stands at 2-4-0.

Casey DeAngelo, Reggie Duque and Christain Dutra scored for Saybrook. Carlos Velez Torres made four saves for Old Saybrook while Sam Edmed made 11 for Old Lyme.

Old Lyme’s record is now 2-4-0.

On Saturday, Sept. 14, Granby Memorial defeated Old Lyme 3-1 at Granby Memorial High School. Charlie McEwen scored for Old Lyme off an assist by Judah Waldo while Calvin Olsen, Ben DeDegallo and Max Kantner scored for Granby.

Old Lyme’s Sam Edmed made 10 saves while Landon Filmore of Granby notched four.

Girl’s Soccer

On Saturday, Sept. 14, Granby Memorial defeated Old Lyme 4-2 with the Wildcats playing at home. Former Wildcat star player Caroline Wallace is now in her first year as Old Lyme’s coach.

Granby’s Cassandra Earl scored a hattrick with Sarah Slade contributing the fourth. Mia Crunden gave one assist.

Olivia Kelly in goal for the Wildcats made 16 saves.

Old Lyme’s record is now 3-2.

Girl’s Volleyball

On Monday, Sept. 16, Morgan defeated Old Lyme 3-0 with game scores of 21-25, 18-25, 13-25. Playing away, Wildcats Maya LeQuire had 8 kills, Stella Young made 4 aces and Sophia D’Angelo had 13 digs.

Old Lyme is now 2-4 in both the league and overall, Erin Crayton is the longtime girl’s volleyball coach.

On Friday, Sept. 13, Old Lyme beat Cromwell 3-1 with game scores of 21-25, 25-20, 25-22, 25-21. Playing at home, Wildcats Maya LeQuire had 7 aces and 11 kills, Katie Ferman made 11 assists and Molly Boardman had 14 digs.

Identities Announced of Victims from Labor Day Fatal Boat Accident in Old Saybrook

OLD SAYBROOK—On Saturday, state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) officials identified the bodies recovered on Friday, subsequent to the previous Monday’s tragic boating accident, as 25-year-old Ian Duchemin, of Oakdale, and 24-year-old Ryan Britagna, of Waterford..

On Wednesday, the DEEP had identified the body of 34-year-old Christopher Hallahan, of Westbrook. His services are scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 10. A fundraiser for his widow has been organized.

We extend our sincere condolences to all those impacted by this awful event.

Letter to the Editor: Safe (Gun) Storage Saves Lives—Writer Urges Local Leaders to Endorse Policy Locally

To the Editor:

Another day in America – another mass shooting. This time in a high school in Georgia. Lives snuffed out, lives ruined forever, families broken to bits.

A lot of pundits saying it is an outrage, an indictment of all the American people: “We allow this…”

No, we don’t. The vast majority of Americans want stricter gun safety measures. The politicians allow it. The NRA allows it. We The People do not!  We must vote out NRA “A rated” members of Congress.

The major cause of death in Americans aged 1-19 is gun violence. What an unbelievable disgrace.

As a nurse, pediatric nurse practitioner and mental health specialist, I have taken care of victims of gun violence. I have comforted kids who have lost a beloved family member to gun violence.

June was Gun Violence Prevention Month. A big part of that is prevention by safe storage of guns. So many gun deaths are accidental. What is inflammatory or threatening about that? The killer in Georgia used his father’s unsecured weapon of mass destruction.

I stressed this in my outreach to leaders of our town. Safe storage saves lives. I encouraged the town to adopt Governor Lamont’s declaration. The answer was no.

I have no words … what a lack of courage and conviction. This is not my town.

One parent in Georgia stated to the media, “It couldn’t happen here!”  Of course it could with corrupt and uncaring politicians, including at the local level.

I think it is important for District 18 parents to know – your kids will never be safe at school.  Don’t be naïve and don’t quit until you get the complete dedication of your General Assembly representatives.  This is supposed to be a representative government.  Be strong.

Sincerely,

Betsy Groth APRN, PMHS,C retired,
Old Lyme.
Editor’s Note: The author is a Children’s’ Health Advocate and member of CT Against Gun Violence.

State Officials Join Amtrak CEO to Break Ground in Old Lyme for New CT River Bridge

From left to right, Operating Engineers Local 478 President Nate Brown, DOT Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto, Gov. Ned Lamont, Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner, Rep. Joe Courtney, and Deputy US Transportation Secretary Polly Trottenberg break ground on the new Connecticut River Bridge at Ferry Landing State Park in Old Lyme on Thursday, Sept. 5. Photo courtesy of CTNewsJunkie.com Photo credit: Screengrab / CT-N

OLD LYME – Yesterday Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner joined U.S. Department of Transportation Deputy Secretary Polly Trottenberg, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont (D), Senators Richard Blumenthal (D) and Chris Murphy (D), Representative Joe Courtney (D), Connecticut Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto, and other state and local officials to celebrate the start of construction for Amtrak’s new Connecticut River Bridge between Old Saybrook and Old Lyme, Connecticut.

The existing Connecticut River Bridge, which opens for maritime traffic several times a day in peak boating season, was completed in 1907 and today serves more than 50 daily Amtrak Northeast Regional and Acela trains, CTrail Shore Line East commuter service trains and freight trains. The aging bridge’s failure to open and close consistently can result in cascading delays to rail and maritime traffic.

The modern, more resilient, moveable bridge now being constructed by Amtrak will feature a trunnion bascule span design with modern track, signal, catenary, power, communication and other supporting rail infrastructure. It will support a maximum train operating speed of 70 mph, a 55 percent increase from today’s maximum speed of 45 mph. Maritime navigation and safety will also improve due to the increased vertical clearance of the new bridge compared to the existing bridge.

This investment will ensure continued connectivity along the Northeast Corridor (NEC) – America’s busiest passenger rail corridor – while enabling plans to expand intercity passenger rail service in the region and across the nation.

Earlier this summer, Amtrak awarded a construction contract for the new bridge and held a pre-construction public meeting to educate community members about the upcoming work. Rail traffic will remain in service throughout the project, which is expected to conclude by 2031.

This $1.3 billion project is supported by a $826.64 million Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail grant from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), made possible by the Biden-Harris Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL.) The remaining portion will be funded by Amtrak and the State of Connecticut.

“Amtrak is thrilled to join our partners to break ground on the new Connecticut River Bridge, a project decades in the making,” said Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner. “When completed, this modern bridge will improve the customer experience by eliminating delays, providing faster journeys and modernizing another critical infrastructure asset in Connecticut that benefits the entire Northeast Corridor.”

He continued, “Today’s milestone would not be possible without funding from the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act and continued support from the Biden-Harris Administration along with Connecticut’s champions of rail in Governor Lamont, Senator Blumenthal, Senator Murphy, Congressman Courtney, Commissioner Eucalitto and so many others.”

“Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration—and the largest investment in passenger rail since Amtrak was founded—we’re replacing the century-old Connecticut River Bridge with a safer, more reliable structure,” said U.S. Deputy Transportation Secretary Polly Trottenberg. “This bridge is a critical point for freight and passenger rail and maritime traffic along the Northeast, and the new bridge will deliver the faster, more reliable service Americans deserve.”

“The Northeast Corridor is the busiest rail line in the nation, and improvements here mean more jobs, continued economic growth, and improved quality of life,” said Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont. “The Connecticut River Bridge is more than 100 years old, and this major modernization project will ensure that trains can operate with higher speeds and fewer disruptions well into the future. President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continues delivering for Connecticut and the entire region.”

“Today marks the beginning of faster rail travel for commuters and other rail passengers,” said U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal. “The Connecticut River Bridge is in desperate need of upgrades, and I am thrilled that work is underway to replace it. I am proud Bipartisan Infrastructure Law dollars are at work improving aging infrastructure in Connecticut, and I will continue fighting to deliver more of this critical funding to our state.”

Rendering of the new Connecticut River Amtrak Bridge. Photo courtesy of Amtrak MediaCenter.

“The Connecticut River Bridge is one of the most critical sections of northeast rail corridor, but its aging infrastructure has led to disruptions, slower travel times, and delays, creating massive headaches for the thousands of commuters who travel across it,” said U.S. Senator Chris Murphy. This project has been years in the making, and it is only happening because of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Now, thanks to President Biden and Vice President Harris, we are finally starting a project to improve reliability, reduce traffic, and make life easier for travelers and commuters in our state.”

“Ever since the determination was made in 2006 that the bridge was structurally deficient, my office has been leading federal efforts to support construction of a safer and faster rail line for passengers and freight. Importantly, even before the federal infrastructure law, which is funding the new bridge, became law, my office secured a commitment from Amtrak that the bridge would be built under a Project Labor Agreement that guarantees our local workforce will execute construction,” said U.S. Representative Joe Courtney. “This means Connecticut’s workers will benefit from the highest safety standards, good wages, and high quality job training.”

“I am thrilled to see the Connecticut River Bridge project begin this week!” said Connecticut State Senator Christine Cohen (D—District 12), Chair of the Transportation Committee. “This project is a great example of collaboration between the private sector and the federal and state governments to invest into public transportation in the Northeast Corridor. Once completed, this project will improve reliability, train speeds and connectivity in our region and I’m committed to continuing to work together with our partners to make our rails more accessible for riders across the region.”

“This bridge represents a great leap forward for our local public transportation,” said Connecticut State Senator and Deputy Majority Leader Martha Marx (D—District 20). “People can trust that their trains will arrive on time and get them where they need to go at a faster pace than ever before. Rail travel is a vital connection point in our community, as well as in New England and throughout the nation. I’m very pleased to see Amtrak making such admirable improvements to their services.”

“Rebuilding the Connecticut River Bridge is a transformational investment for the future of passenger rail service in the Northeast Corridor,” said Connecticut Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto. “With modern engineering and design, the new bridge will accommodate growing ridership demand, faster and more reliable travel times, and stimulate the local and regional economy. Thank you to the FRA for investing in Connecticut through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. We look forward to working closely with our partners at Amtrak as this project moves forward.”

“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has enabled long overdue transportation upgrades like the Connecticut River Bridge Project along Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor,” said Transportation Trades Department (AFL-CIO) President Greg Regan.We’re proud that this project will utilize union workers, providing an economic boost to surrounding communities, and will improve service on America’s busiest passenger rail line.”

“Chalk up another win for America’s rail passengers from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” said Rail Passengers Association President & CEO Jim Mathews. “Thanks to the BIL’s historic levels of capital funding, passengers on Amtrak and commuter rail on the busy Northeast Corridor can look forward to traveling faster, more safely, and more reliably over the Connecticut River than we do today.”

He added, “Replacing this 117-year-old bridge is just another example of how the BIL is helping to reverse decades of underinvestment in vital infrastructure, and our Association applauds Amtrak, the Federal Railroad Administration, and the Connecticut Department of Transportation for getting this vital project moving.”

Editor’s Note: This article is based on a press release issued Sept. 5, by the Amtrak MediaCenter.

One Dead, Two Missing After Old Saybrook Boat Accident Monday Night

OLD SAYBROOK—Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Environmental Conservation Police (EnCon Police) along with multiple agencies, responded to a boating accident in Old Saybrook around 9:15 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 2.

A single motorboat was found floating, half-submerged, near the Harbor One Marina in Old Saybrook. There was significant damage to the boat, which hit the east-facing jetty at the mouth of the CT River.

A total of nine people were on the boat. An adult male was recovered deceased, and six people were transported to the hospital. As of 1 a.m., two people were still being searched for. The search was suspended for the night shortly after 1 a.m., and resumed in the morning as, most likely, a recovery operation.

In addition to EnCon Police, several agencies assisted in the response to this incident, including- Old Lyme FD, Middletown FD, Middlesex Health (EMTs), Essex FD, Goshen Fire, Old Saybrook FD and PD, Clinton Fire, the Coast Guard, and the State Police Dive Unit.

Editor’s Note: This article is based on a press release issued by DEEP.com at 1:27 a.m. today.