Category Archives: Headline News

Letter to the Editor: Keep the Vision of Public Access to Public Land Alive in Old Lyme

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To the Editor:

The Republican Party has a long history of protecting one of our nation’s most precious resources – the beauty of our natural environment. President Theodore Roosevelt, known as “The Conservation President”, established the United States Forest Service and during his administration preserved over 230 million acres of public land  to be kept in its natural state and to be enjoyed by the public. President Johnson spearheaded the Clean Water Act during his administration and President Nixon followed up with the Clean Air Act during his tenure. Our party is also proud to have worked with our Democrat friends to keep America beautiful.

Why do we live in Old Lyme? One of the top answers is because it is the most beautiful rural small town along the Connecticut coastline. We are second to none with a landscape bounded by the Long Island Sound, rivers, wooded hills and filled with a very biodiverse ecology. The question that needs to be asked is, “How do we protect this beauty and still enjoy it with all our senses?”

Recently, there have been several news stories about a parcel of town owned property located at 36-1 Buttonball Road. It was deeded to the town with a restriction that it shall be used by the public for waterfront access. A representative from CT DEEP indicated that if the town went forward with that plan and an environmental impact study were to be done, then it would be very probable that DEEP would permit some minimal development to access the water based on an on-site observation. There would be room to park a vehicle and then access the water by way of a minimally impacting boardwalk to launch a kayak or to just enjoy the salt marsh ecology.

We support and encourage the town to pursue the wishes of this property’s donor to allow the public to have waterfront access. Furthermore, we stress the importance of responsible stewardship for these generous gifts. Proper stewardship will demonstrate that we value and will protect a donor’s wishes; and, it will encourage future donors to gift parcels of land for the public benefit knowing that their gift’s purpose will be honored.

We do understand that this parcel falls within jurisdictional aspects of several town authorities and so we encourage a post haste resolution of this jurisdictional issue so that the town may expeditiously move forward with a DEEP application for an environmental impact study.

It has been well over a century since President Theodore Roosevelt made it a national vision to protect and enjoy nature. Let’s continue to keep this vision alive in Old Lyme!

Robert A. Nixon,
Old Lyme.

Editor’s Note: The author is the chairman of the Old Lyme Republican Town Committee.

Death of Mary Blossom Turner Announced, Widow of Jack, Who Founded LymeLine.com; Service May 22 in Old Lyme

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Mary Blossom Turner: January 1, 1932 – April 30, 2022

OLD LYME — We are deeply saddened to announce the death of Mary Blossom Turner, the widow of Jack Turner, who founded LymeLine.com. To quote from the obituary published in The Day, Mary passed, “easily in her sleep April 30, 2022, at 90 years old.”

Mary was a remarkable woman, as her full obituary published below testifies. I met her on several occasions during the time I worked for Jack as the first News Editor of his fledgling online publication, LymeLine.com. That was back in 2003 (when LymeLine.com was launched) through 2005, when Jack died. She was the most cheerful and supportive companion to Jack — and therefore, in turn, me — imaginable.

Jack and Mary’s relationship was truly wonderful in so many ways. After Jack’s untimely death, it was dear Mary with whom we negotiated the purchase of LymeLine.com — she made it quite clear that she personally had no interest in continuing its publication but was very happy to see someone else pursue Jack’s legacy.

We send sincere condolences to Mary’s children, Mariette and John, and their families. (For the record, it was Mariette, who recommended me to Jack to be his News Editor. Jack lured me away from the Main Street News … and the rest is history!)

A memorial service for Mary will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon, May 22, at the Grassy Hill Church in Old Lyme.

Kindly make any memorial donations to the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund, at: https://curealz.org/giving/donate/.

I will never forget Mary … or Jack.

Olwen Logan, Publisher & Editor: LymeLine.com

Mary’s obituary follows:

Mary Turner was the first baby born in Port Chester, NY in 1932, to Mary Drummond and Earl Blossom. She had a pony and a dog growing up in Westport, CT where her father’s home studio smelled like turpentine. Her elder brother, David, put whiskey in the dog bowl and the dog got drunk. Mary tended to the dog while David joined the Coast Guard before becoming a commercial illustrator like their father. The dog recovered and Mary went off to Bennington College, where she learned proper grammar.

Mary met Jack Turner of Wilton CT at a party, and since they both liked cats, they decided to marry. Jack would become Mary’s lifelong hero. He joined the Marines after graduating from Colgate, but the two managed to see each other enough to produce two children, Mariette and John, one of whom turned out perfectly.

The young family moved to an apartment in Bloomfield. Mary ran shotgun while Jack and friends distilled vodka from potatoes and conceived Soundings at the dining room table. Children were to be seen and not heard, but Mary saw them as hers to sculpt—by instilling the Golden Rule and correcting grammar.

After moving to Wethersfield as Jack grew Soundings, Mary kept a successful portrait business, sold real estate, made wicked Halloween costumes, practiced yoga, shopped and prepped for Jack’s cooking, and briefly owned a bakery where she produced healthy donuts.

Frostbite sailing on Wethersfield Cove was a family affair and a social immersion—with racing and cocktails for the adults and racing to grow up for the kids. Mary kept her children grounded in an alluring, challenging world.

Block Island vacations exaggerated regular life without the work, and while packs of young cousins ran wild, Mary sojourned to paint watercolors. The children felt important and grown-up as she always took time to explain just why, or what, we might do, or to patiently describe what would be proper, or to make a sardine sandwich.

Jack and Mary gardened, cooked, leisured, and worked to assure a wholesome family atmosphere while Mariette and John tackled high school and college. Ever supporting her husband and children, Mary endured fiberglass boatbuilding in the driveway, amplified rock-n-roll, polyester fumes, milk and butter tasting of plastic, orange juice re-purposed as bong-water and rolling cohorts of teenagers, dogs, and cats in the house. As surrogate second but present authority, Mary anchored existence in Jack’s absence—rising each day to exemplify cheer, vigor, empathy, and purpose.

When Soundings moved to Essex and the family to Old Lyme, Mary continued painting portraits, working in real-estate, taking walks, and absorbing what she sensed best in life. Jack left Soundings, built another boat, and started Lymeline.

The children married and moved away to grow the tree—with three grandchildren, (Marilee Root, Brittany Figueroa and John Paul Turner IV) and five great-grandchildren, all stars in no small part due to Mary’s examples of excellent grammar, adherence to the Golden Rule, and casual parenting.

Jack died in 2005. Mary forged on without him, walking daily to the Chocolate Shell for a fix with Molly, the last of the many dogs and cats. She pursued her artwork until advancing years betrayed her capacity.

None would envy her long experience with Alzheimer’s.

We remember Mary smiling as she hummed, “Happy Days are Here Again,” or shrieking what she called the “Cry of the Happy Housewife.” If we transgressed in right and wrong, she would say: “You wouldn’t want someone to do that to you, would you?”

With a name like Mary Blossom Turner, we would expect to learn from her.

Mary leaves two children (Mariette and John); three grandchildren (Marilee Root, Brittany Figueroa, and John Turner IV), four great-grandchildren, (Tyler Root, Annabelle, Damien, and their soon-to-be little sister Figueroa), and five nephews and their families. She joins—eternally—her partner, hero and husband, Jack; her brother David; her granddaughter, Halle Root; and her eldest nephew, David Blossom.

We all miss her dearly.

Lyme-Old Lyme Tennis Girls Remain Unbeaten, “They are Determined Players … and it Shows” (Coach Rahr)

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The undefeated Lyme-Old Lyme High School team gathers for a celebratory photo. All photos by A. Fenton.

OLD LYME — The Lyme-Old Lyme High School (LOLHS) girls’ tennis team is enjoying a truly remarkable season. Look at the scoresheets below and you will see that the girls not only remain undefeated, but also have hardly dropped an individual match this season.

Abby Sicuranza demonstrates the strength of her serve in this game against Morgan. Sicuranza is the Wildcats’ #1 singles player.

Coach Lauren Rahr admits with complete honesty that this situation is something, “I don’t think I have fully wrapped my head around.”

Rahr, who is a math teacher at LOLHS, recalls that “Last year was truly a dream season with all we accomplished and how it all flowed together so well,” but notes, “This year has presented different challenges.”

Asked how she would summarize the team’s performance to date this season, Rahr responded, “From last season to this season, I have seen a lot of growth and maturity from all of my players.”

Elaina Morosky is having a terrific season regularly playing in the #3 or #4 singles spot.

She said they had clearly put in a great deal of time in the off-season to continue improving their games, and as a result, “… came into this season with specific goals in mind that they want to accomplish both as individuals and as a team.”

Lyme-Old Lyme High School Girl’s Tennis Coach Lauren Rahr celebrates her team’s continuing success in this photo with her father, Dave Rahr, who serves as the team’s Junior Varsity Coach. Photo submitted.

She added, “Every match we go out and play, they continue to amaze me. There are always things we can continue to improve upon, but overall, they are determined players this year and it shows, not only in how they carry themselves but also in how they play each point.”

The #3 doubles partnership of senior Fiona Hufford and junior Izadora Reynolds has played some memorable games.

Expanding on how she feels when she is watching a match, Rahr said she finds herself thinking, “Wow, I am so lucky to have a team that is not only this strong, but this passionate about what they do.” She explained that this year she feels  they are trusting themselves more, noting, “You can see them playing smart tennis on the court, while also taking the risk of applying new skills and strategies we have talked about.”

Sam Tan, who regularly plays in the #2 singles spot, celebrates after winning her game at Waterford following a third set tie-breaker.

Rahr says Old Lyme’s toughest opponent so far this season has been Westbrook since, going into it, the girls knew they were going to be facing strong competition, which meant they were eagerly anticipating the match. The expectation was fulfilled with three out of the seven matches going to three sets, with, in Rahr’s words, “Each of them a battle. You could feel the energy on the sidelines just watching all of the matches finish.”

From left to right, Lyme-Old Lyme 2nd doubles sophomore Aggie Hunt, 1st doubles Junior Livie Bass,  1st doubles Junior Alexis Fenton, and 2nd doubles Sophomore Beatrice Hunt celebrate their respective wins over Waterford.

Recalling one of her favorite memories of the season was during the Westbrook match when the whole team was sitting at the fence watching the Old Lyme #3 finish her third set. Then, “As soon as she was done, they all sprinted down to the #3 doubles with their blankets and snack bags just in time for them to hit a volley winner to end the match.”

Callie Bass always comes through with a strong game.

Rahr said, “It was nice to see them all support each other. It is moments like these that not only bring a team together, but remind everyone why they chose to play tennis.” She explained, “Playing better competition brings out the best in teams, and I was happy to see the girls step up to the challenge so early on in the season.”

Elaina Morosky (at front in photo) has played consistently well throughout the season.

Questioned as to the factors to which she credited the team’s amazing success, Rahr replied, “This is a tough question as I have thought about this often recently. There have been so many factors that have come together to contribute to our team’s success: the new courts, the passion of the girls, the support of families…just to name a few.”

The Lyme-Old Lyme #1 doubles team of juniors Alexis Fenton (right) and Livie Bass handily defeated their Morgan opponents.

She continued, “Many people have asked me, “Is it that you are a good coach or is it that they are just good players?” In her always humble fashion, she commented, “I like to think it is a little of both. We both work together to bring out the best in each other, and that has allowed us to reach our goals and create a team chemistry that I will truly never forget.”

The Waterford and Old Lyme coaches review the rules prior to the match against Waterford. The Old Lyme girls stand to the left and the Waterford team to the right.

Reviewing the season as a whole, Rahr concluded on an upbeat note, “Another thing I think that is really important is that we take each match as a new opportunity to play the sport we love.”

Here are the results of the most recent games with the LOL players indicated in blue.

Tuesday, May 3
Old Lyme Defeats Coginchaug 6-1 

1st Singles:
Abby Sicuranza vs Piper Remillard 2-6, 1-6

2nd Singles: 
Callie Bass vs Estella Perel 6-0, 6-0

3rd Singles: 
Elaina Morosky vs Maggie Ross 6-1, 6-1

4th Singles: 
Olivia Schaedler vs Grace Hinsch 6-2, 6-1

1st Doubles: 
Livie Bass / Alexis Fenton
Nora O’Connell / Karenna Patel 6-0, 6-0

2nd Doubles:  
Aggie Hunt/ Beatrice Hunt
Monica Garbacz / Sawyer Stone 6-0, 6-0

3rd Doubles:
Fiona Hufford / Izzy Reynolds
Diya Patel / Taylor Cooney 6-0, 6-0

Saturday, April 30
Old Lyme Defeats Waterford 6-1

1st Singles:
Abby Sicuranza vs Sarah Hage 2-6, 1-6

2nd Singles:
Sam Tan vs Autumn Brothers 4-6, 6-2, tiebreak for 3rd 12-10

3rd Singles: 
Callie Bass vs Michelle Liu 6-0, 6-1

4th Singles: 
Elaina Morosky vs Ava Tinnerello 6-3, 6-1

1st Doubles: 
Livie Bass / Alexis Fenton 6-0, 6-1
Maple Siu / Hazel Siu

2nd Doubles:  
Aggie Hunt / Beatrice Hunt 6-1, 6-0
Joyce McK / Lillian Steinhouse

3rd Doubles:
Fiona Hufford / Izzy Reynolds 3-6, 6-0
Maria Molina / Bre Kilcolmons tiebreaker for 3rd 13-11

Wednesday, April 27:
Old Lyme Defeats Morgan 7-0

1st Singles:
Abby Sicuranza vs Abbie Vitola 6-1, 6-0

2nd Singles:
Sam Tan vs Molly Vitola 6-0, 6-0

3rd Singles:
Callie Bass vs Ana Colebank 6-0, 6-1

4th Singles:
Elaina Morosky vs Riley Schmidt 6-0, 6-0

1st Doubles:
Livie Bass / Alexis Fenton 6-1, 6-0
Kyra Savage / Maggie O’Donnell

2nd Doubles:
Aggie Hunt / Beatrice Hunt 6-1, 6-4
Ava Johnson / Ainsley Corgan

3rd Doubles:
Fiona Hufford / Izzy Reynolds 6-3, 6-3
Sara Morrissey / Gavin Gersz

Monday, April 25:
Old Lyme Defeats H-K 7-0

1st Singles:
Abby Sicuranza vs Elanna Tousignant 6-0, 6-0

2nd Singles: 
Sam Tan vs Kami Narducci 6-0, 6-0

3rd Singles: 
Callie Bass vs Brenna Lonergan 6-0, 6-0

4th Singles: 
Elaina Morosky vs Jenna LeMontagne 6-0, 6-0

1st Doubles: 
Livie Bass / Fiona Hufford 6-0, 6-0
Adrianne Wolf / Lauren Macy

2nd Doubles:  
Olivia Schaedler / Eva D’Onofrio 6-1, 6-0
Maddie Gordon / Devon Haase

3rd Doubles:
Old Lyme wins by forfeit

Friday, April 22:
Old Lyme Defeats Portland 7-0

1st Singles:
Abby Sicuranza vs Mia Lapinski 6-0, 6-0

2nd Singles: 
Sam Tan vs Nat Przes 6-0, 6-0

3rd Singles: 
Callie Bass vs Allison Scott 6-2, 6-3

4th Singles: 
Olivia Schaedler vs Morganne Plneda 6-0, 6-0

1st Doubles: 
Livie Bass / Fiona Hufford
Amella Hair / Isa McLelland 6-3, 6-0

2nd Doubles:  
Aggie Hunt/ Beatrice Hunt
Maddy Varano / Emily Dering 6-0, 6-1

3rd Doubles:
Elaina Morosky / Natalie Buckley
Joda Cohen / Anna Stone 6-0, 6-0

Monday, April 18
Old Lyme Defeats East Hampton 7-0

1st Singles:
Abby Sicuranza vs Liz MacDonald 6-0, 6-0

2nd Singles: 
Sam Tan vs Eshani Karkun 6-1, 6-2

3rd Singles: 
Elaina Morosky vs Charlotte Minnick 6-0, 6-0

4th Singles: 
Callie Bass vs forfeit *forfeit* 

1st Doubles: 
Livie Bass / Fiona Hufford
Emma Giovanelli / Jen Trip 6-1, 6-0

2nd Doubles:  
Aggie Hunt/ Beatrice Hunt
Melanie Hurt / Ginneg Decker 6-0, 6-0

3rd Doubles:
Olivia Schaedler / Karissa Huang
Addi Howard / Baylee Olzacki 6-0, 6-0

PARJE Celebrates Unveiling of New ‘Welcome’ Mural at Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School

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Old Lyme First Selectman Timothy Griswold stands with the mural’s lead artist Jasmine Oyola-Blumenthal after the mural had been officially unveiled on Wednesday at Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School. All photos by K. Monson except where indicated.

OLD LYME — UPDATED WITH FULL STORY: Around 40 members of the community along with several Old Lyme and Lyme-Old Lyme Schools dignitaries joined some 200 Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School students and faculty on Wednesday to celebrate the unveiling of a new Welcome mural, which had been sponsored by Public Art for Racial Justice Education (PARJE) and created in the school.

The completed mural shows students from many nations holding hands to cross a bridge.

The mural is part of the Sister Murals Project sponsored by Public Art for Racial Justice Education (PARJE), which was officially launched March 1, 2021. PARJE utilizes the broad appeal of art and education to confront racial injustice.

One mural has already been unveiled in Norwich and now murals are being worked on concurrently in Old Lyme and New London. Jasmine Oyola-Blumenthal, who is an alumna of Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts, is the lead artist of the new Welcome mural in the Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School (LOLMS.)

In addition to her role as lead artist, Oyola-Blumenthal worked with school faculty to develop student workshops, which coordinated with the project.

Oyola-Blumenthal and her counterpart, Marvin Espy, in New London were selected from a field of nearly 20 applicants. In her application, Oyola-Blumenthal had described art as, “a neutral vessel,” contending that [it], “Can bring forth conversations that can be uncomfortable and promote opportunities to open dialogue on racial justice and education.”

Jasmine Oyola-Blumenthal, lead artist for the ‘Welcome’ mural, addresses the audience at Wednesday’s ceremony in Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School to celebrate the unveiling of the mural. Photo by S. Hayes.

Superintendent of Lyme-Old Lyme Schools Ian Neviaser opened the ceremony and then a number of speeches were made including one by Kimberly Monson, a professional artist, who studied at Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts, and subsequently became one of its faculty. She, in fact, had taught lead artist Oyola-Blumenthal when the latter was a student at the same college.

Monson noted, “An artistic legacy is passed from instructor to student and is a direct line to the artists and instructors before them. Therefore, with her training, Jas’s [Jasmine’s] pedigree can be traced back to artistic behemoths such as Saint Gaudens and Gerome.”

Monson then commented on Oyola-Blumenthal’s own legacy and its relevance to the project, saying, “Jas also has a legacy in her heritage. She holds within her … the hopes and dreams of embracing diversity, which, in addition to her talent, give her an insightful perspective to this Mural project … [She carries] the legacy, of not only the Artists housed and trained here, but also [in her role] as the voice of collaboration with our kids.”

Monson spoke warmly of Oyola-Blumenthal’s skills saying, “Jas’s sense of design was always powerful. She knows how to arrange a picture to tell a story and she has a strong command of color and pattern that celebrates her contagious optimism,” emphasizing, “All of this shows itself beautifully on the Mural painted in your hall.”

Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School students hard at work on the mural.

Three LOLMS eighth grade students read their poems related to the Witness Stones project in Old Lyme, in which houses where enslaved people were kept in town have been identified by engraved stones placed in front of them. The students were Maggie Thuma, Thomas Kelly and Anne-Marie Hinkley.

Thelma Halloran, who is the LOLMS art teacher also spoke during the ceremony. She had collaborated with Oyola-Blumenthal on many parts of the mural project. She explained how she had become involved with, “a new group in Old Lyme created by the Rev. David W. Good, Minister Emeritus of The First Congregational Church of Old Lyme.”

This group, which became PARJE, was created more than a year ago in response to tragic events in the news like the death of George Floyd. Halloran said, “David wanted to remind everyone in Old Lyme that the town has a history of welcoming people – all kinds of people.”

She then listed some of those who had been welcomed into the town mentioning four refugee families from Laos, a refugee family from Rwanda, and another from Syria. She also recalled a family from the Congo, who lived in a refugee house bought by the Congregational church and families from Pakistan, Guatemala, Burma, and South Africa. In addition, she mentioned a family, whose home was destroyed by a hurricane in Puerto Rico, who also found a home in Old Lyme.  

No space was left unpainted as the mural takes form.

Halloran noted, “This history of hospitality to all who come to Old Lyme has evolved through time. It has not always been perfect. This is why there is a continued effort to strive to be a better community, including in our schools.”

She continued, “Let the message of this mural continue to be a reminder of the values we share in the town of Old Lyme, and as a community in our schools. Make the message of this mural come to life in your words and your actions with everyone you encounter, not just student to student, not just student to teacher, and not just the new faces you see.”

Urging the students to, “continue to show your kindness” to everyone in school including such people as custodians, security guards, secretaries, and paraprofessionals, she then told them also to, “Show your kindness to the student, who looks like you, but doesn’t think like you.” explaining firmly, “This is what we mean when we say welcome.” 

The intensity given to the project is clear on the faces of the students.

Halloran concluded by quoting the words of the 2021 US Presidential Inauguration poet Amanda Gorman, who said evocatively,
“The new dawn balloons as we free it.
For there is always light, if only we’re brave enough to see it.
If only we’re brave enough to be it.”

Editor’s Note: Visit this link to see the video NBC TV posted about the event.

Lyme-Old Lyme Schools Name Allison Hine as New Principal of Lyme School

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The new principal of Lyme Consolidated School is Allison Hine.

OLD LYME — The Lyme-Old Lyme Schools is pleased to announce that Allison Hine has been named principal of Lyme Consolidated School and will begin her position July 1, 2022.

Hine, a resident of Old Lyme, is currently the principal of Brownstone Intermediate School in Portland, Conn. She replaces Jim Cavalieri, who is retiring after 44 years in education, 20 of those as principal of Lyme Consolidated School.

Hine has more than 20 years of experience as a classroom teacher and administrator. In addition to her work at Brownstone Intermediate School, she has served as the assistant principal and as social studies curriculum coordinator for the Stonington (CT) Public Schools.

She began her career in education as an elementary school teacher for the Old Saybrook Schools.

Hine has previously served on the Lyme-Old Lyme Schools Board of Education and has been an active volunteer with Lymes’ Youth Services Bureau and numerous other community organizations.

“We are pleased to have Mrs. Hine join us in her new role as Principal of Lyme Consolidated School. Mrs. Hine’s dedication and passion for our schools stood out during the interview process. Her extensive elementary school experience will allow her to continue to support the strong programming at Lyme School,” commented Ian Neviaser, Superintendent of Lyme-Old Lyme Schools.

The selection process began in February and yielded more than 40 applicants. A selection committee comprised of over 25 people conducted several rounds of interviews as well as a site visit.

A community forum and survey were also conducted as part of the selection process. Teachers, staff members, parents, and community members were asked to rank the characteristics of a leader they deemed most important, as well as provide responses to a series of questions.