LYME—On October 2, 2024, the birds, squirrels, possums, and other creatures bowed their heads in sorrow as Roberta “Bobbie” Elizabeth Kenyon, the partner and best friend of Ron Denman for over 40 years, passed away peacefully at her home in Lyme, CT.
Bobbie was born on Thursday, August 7, 1952, in Amityville, Long Island, NY, to Phoebe Ruth Dartnall Kenyon and David Eccleston Kenyon. The family later moved to Essex, CT. After graduating from Amityville Memorial High School, Bobbie attended Mitchell College for two years and took art classes intermittently at Middlesex Community College.
Her lifelong friendship with Ron began on a cliff overlooking the Connecticut River during a Kenyon Labs Christmas party on a cold, moonlit December night. They talked and laughed together until sunrise, enjoying each other’s company.
An accomplished artist, Bobbie dedicated herself to various commercial projects, which she cherished. She eventually ventured into glass etching and started her own business, Frost Paintings, initially using M.E.K. (Methyl Ethyl Ketone) before transitioning to sandblasting. Bobbie sold her work at Renaissance Faires and art shows throughout New York and New England, often selling out. While she excelled in glass etching, her true passion was in oil and watercolor painting.
Bobbie was also an avid horse enthusiast, raising and training her horse, Kalamac. She loved riding around Essex and Lyme, often amusing neighbors by riding at night—sometimes in just a bikini.
A lover of all animals, Bobbie fed birds, squirrels, raccoons, and possums, and she planted flowers everywhere. Anyone she cherished received a cup of tiger lily seeds to plant. Her vehicles were always stocked with cat food, plants, and sunflower seeds, reflecting her deep affection for cats. Throughout her life, she had many cats, all of whom adored her.
Bobbie designed and built a post-and-beam barn for her horse on her property in Lyme. Later, she and Ron transformed it into a cozy post-and-beam home, where they lived together for over 40 years and where she ultimately passed away.
An avid photographer, Bobbie initially focused on weddings but later documented significant projects. One notable project was Ron’s restoration of the Catboat Dolphin, which continues to charter passengers for daysails in Edgartown. Another was the restoration of Scovil Mills, now known as Scovil Forge in Higganum, CT, which houses various businesses, primarily Kenyon Labs.
During this time, both Bobbie and Ron worked at Kenyon Laboratories. Bobbie excelled at trade shows, and eventually, they purchased Kenyon Labs, turning it into a successful international company.
Bobbie had an incredibly big heart; she was one of the kindest and sweetest people one could ever meet. She dedicated her life to helping others, even during her illness. She was smart, personable, beautiful and exceptionally kind. Bobbie took the time to enjoy life, always stopping to smell the roses and living as a free spirit to the fullest.
She leaves behind her lifelong friend Ron Denman, her brother and sister-in-law, Paul and Joanne Kenyon of Bridport, Vermont, and her cousin Rachel Reid of Shootash, Hampshire. UK.
A celebration of her life will be held soon at the Scovil Forge properties in Higganum, CT. Please contact Ron for more information.
The title of this “View” is an allusion to The United States Order of Presidential Succession, which defines the sequence in which the vice president of the United States and other officers of the federal government would assume the powers and duties of the U.S. Presidency.
That defined Order of Succession is that the Office of the President will pass to the vice president for the remainder of the term upon the elected president’s incapacity, death, resignation, or removal from office. If the vice president is unable to serve, the Speaker of the House will act as President.
Note that the sources that define the presidential order of succession are the Constitution of the United States and the Presidential Succession Act of 1947.
A vice president has ascended to the Office of the President due to death or resignation nine times in the history of the United States. (see Appendix at foot of article.)
Accordingly, I consider the candidacy of JD Vance in this essay; and try to determine exactly how JD Vance, a politician who’s a little more than two years into his first elected office, become the GOP’s nominee for vice president? Is he qualified for the top job?
It is a possibility that must be considered. Donald Trump would be the oldest person ever sworn in as President; and concerns about his physical, emotional, and cognitive health have increased.
I will present my thoughts in his own words, citing direct quotes.
Once again, although Trump told CBS News in August that he would “very gladly” release his medical information, he has yet to comply and continues to withhold any real details about his health. He did say he had just had a medical exam and received a “perfect score,” and two cognitive tests, which he said he “aced.” “I got everything right,” Trump said. “And one of the doctors said, ‘I’ve never seen that before, where you get everything right.’” Wow!
If you read my last two “Views,” — “Why I Vote,” which were serialized in LymeLine, you know why I cannot, in good conscience, support the candidacy of Donald Trump—a convicted felon—who promises an administration of retribution, revenge, and retaliation against his opponents and perceived “enemies;” which now include Google, who he claims has been “illegally showing only ‘bad’ stories about him and only ‘good’ ones about Kamala Harris.”
Incredibly, Trump has demanded, via posts on social media, a televised military tribunal for Liz Cheney, and the jailing of top elected officials, including President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
I reviewed Trump’s rally speeches, the Hitleresque themes of several of his rallies, his hatred for immigrants, creepy obsession with crowd size; and his nearly constant use of ridiculous insults and threatening rhetoric and statements; all of which became worse and more unhinged when he reverted to his old favorites, racism and misogyny as the Harris campaign progressed.
Note that the observations and opinions presented in this, and all my “Views,” are my own.
I assessed several political and legal events in Trump’s life that illustrate his moral and ethical principles; and found a man of highly compromised character. I detailed the repeated insults he has aimed at our veterans and military heroes; and the praise he has directed at our enemies like Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un; and concluded that he is remarkably ill-suited for the role of Commander in Chief of America’s Armed Forces. Trump has also said that he wants military leadership that mimics the Nazi high command.
I showed that Trump and his allies regularly attack the mainstream media, often singling out The Washington Post, the NY Times, and CNN as “fake news” and “the enemy of the people.”
Crowd Size:
Trump tried to elevate himself to the level of World War II British prime minister, Winston Churchill when he addressed an Indiana, PA rally on Sept. 23. Although Trump did acknowledge Churchill as a “great speaker,” he proposed that he himself should be included in that category and complained, “I get much bigger crowds than him, “but nobody ever says I’m a great speaker.”
About a week earlier, he had also declared that he attracted bigger crowds than Elvis Presley, saying, “I’m the greatest of all time, maybe greater even than Elvis.”
The Nominee:
James David (JD) Vance is a man of flexible values; who has evolved into Trump’s “attack dog.”
Vance was once a fervent critic of Donald Trump and had been a key voice in the “Never Trump” movement during the 2016 election. “I’m a Never Trump guy,” Vance said in an interview with Charlie Rose.
In February 2016, Vance posited that Trump was “cultural heroin; and a few months later wrote in The Atlantic that, “During this election season, it appears that many Americans have reached for a new pain reliever. It too, promises a quick escape from life’s cares, an easy solution to the mounting social problems of U.S. communities and culture. It demands nothing and requires little more than a modest presence and maybe a few enablers. It enters minds, not through lungs or veins, but through eyes and ears, and its name is Donald Trump.”
Vance sent an e-mail to his former law school roommate, Josh McLaurin, who is now a Democratic state senator in Georgia (McLaurin has publicly shared the message.) Vance wrote “I go back and forth between thinking Trump is a cynical A-hole like Nixon, who wouldn’t be that bad (and might even prove useful) or that he’s America’s Hitler.” How’s that for discouraging?
McLaurin said, “I never could have dreamed during those exchanges in 2016 that he would end up being one of the principal reinforcers of Trumpism only a few years later.”
In an interview with NPR in August, 2016, Vance said, “If I feel like Trump has a really good chance of winning, I might have to hold my nose and vote for Hillary Clinton,”
Speaking with CNN in October 2016, Vance criticized Trump for “actively antagonizing” Black voters, claiming this tactic was a long-standing Republican strategy.
“It’s not just that Donald Trump doesn’t speak to issues of special concern of minority voters or Black voters, it’s that he seems to like actively antagonizing a lot of the Black voters.”
“I think that Trump will probably lose,” he wrote in June 2020, a few months before ballots were cast in an election that Vance would later claim, falsely and repeatedly, was stolen by the Democrats.
The Transformation:
I cannot speculate on what occurred to Vance as he contemplated a bid for the Ohio Senate seat, but he became a “new believer” and launched an intense yearlong effort to fabricate a new image as a leading MAGA proponent with appearances on Fox News and meetings at Mar-a-Lago.
He earned Trump’s endorsement in the Ohio Republican Senate primary and was elected to the Senate in 2022; he was also funded heavily by pro-Trump tech mogul Peter Thiel. Note that he had apologized well ahead of his Senate campaign for calling Trump “reprehensible” over his anti-immigrant rhetoric.
During his Senate campaign, Vance denounced what he described as a “cabal” of public health experts led by White House adviser Anthony S. Fauci, that he said was seeking to suppress American liberties with unreasonable pandemic restrictions.
Cat Ladies:
In a 2021 interview with Fox News host Tucker Carlson, Senate-candidate Vance complained that the U.S. was being run by Democrats, corporate oligarchs and “a bunch of childless cat ladies, who are miserable at their own lives and the choices that they’ve made, and so they want to make the rest of the country miserable, too.”
The VP Debate:
Vance is a master of mis-direction, thus failing to answer direct questions
Vance claimed that Trump “peacefully gave over power on January 20th and said, “I believe we do have a threat to democracy in this country, but it’s not the threat that Kamala Harris and Tim Walz want to talk about. It’s the threat of censorship.”
Vance lied about the state bill Walz signed to guarantee abortion rights, casting it as enabling infanticide, even as he falsified his own advocacy for a national abortion ban.
Astonishingly, he claimed that Trump “saved” the Affordable Care Act. “He worked in a bipartisan way to ensure that Americans had access to affordable care.” Another attempt by Vance and Trump to rewrite the record …
The Jan. 6 attack, and Trump’s false claims of a stolen election that inspired it represented the final question from the moderators and Vance muffed it; and so Walz then re-asked it as a direct question to Vance, “Well, did he lose the 2020 election?”
“Tim, I’m focused on the future,” Vance replied; to which Walz responded, “That is a damning non-answer.”
The Trump / Vance Campaign:
After his confirmation as VP nominee, Vance attacked President Biden and claimed on Fox News that Americans elected an “empty vessel” in 2020 who is now “an incapacitated president.” He claimed Democrats had lied about Biden’s health.
Cats and Dogs:
Both Trump and Vance have repeatedly, and falsely, asserted that a community of Haitians living in Springfield, Ohio, have been kidnapping pet cats and dogs and eating them.
Here’s the Trump quote from the presidential debate: “In Springfield (Ohio), they’re eating the dogs, the people that came in, they’re eating the cats. They’re eating, they’re eating the pets of the people that live there.” As a result of that statement, hospitals, elementary and middle schools, and universities in the area have experienced threats of violence, forcing closures and evacuations.
Worse yet, Vance insists that he will keep calling the Haitian immigrants living in his state “illegal aliens,” saying that he does not consider immigrants who legally settled in the United States under programs managed by the Biden Administration and Vice President Kamala Harris to be lawful residents.” Vance states, “If I have to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people, then that’s what I’m going to do.” Note: My assumption is assume that “to create stories” means to lie.
Vance has downplayed the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, stating that he “doubted” former Vice President Mike Pence’s life was in danger, despite the violent circumstances of that day. “Hang Mike Pence!”
He has echoed Trump’s criticisms of how the Justice Department prosecuted the Capitol attack rioters, alleging that the department disregarded due process protections.
Vance told ABC “This Week” that he “would not have certified the 2020 election results until states submitted pro-Trump electors.”
Hurricane Helene Misinformation:
On arrival in Valdosta, Ga. to view Hurricane Helene’s devastation, Trump claimed that President Biden was “sleeping” and not responding to Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, who he said was “calling the president and hasn’t been able to get him.”
Kemp had said earlier in the day that he had spoken to the president, who offered any help the state needed and said to call him directly. Trump repeated his false claims at an event with reporters, even after being informed that Gov. Kemp had said that he had already spoken to Biden.
Trump, also claimed without evidence that the federal government and North Carolina’s Democratic governor were “going out of their way to not help people in Republican areas.” Asheville, which was devastated by the storm, is solidly Democratic, as is much of Buncombe County, which surrounds it.
North Carolina Governor Cooper called out Trump’s latest lies that he, “along with “Democrats in Washington,” were blocking aid from coming into the state to help people in need, including President Biden and Kamala Harris, saying, “It’s all over the place—A HORRIBLE SITUATION.”
Cooper said it was “This is a flat-out lie. “We’re working with all partners around the clock to get help to people. Trump’s lies and conspiracy theories have hurt the morale of first responders and people who lost everything, helped scam artists and put government and rescue workers in danger.”
Earlier, Trump boasted that he’d gotten his “buddy” Elon Musk to send Starlink satellites into North Carolina.”
FEMA had already sent 40 Starlinks to the state to restore communications.
All this from the man who, as president, withheld money from hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico for years and on a belated visit tossed paper towels at needy residents. On other occasions, he repeatedly threatened to block money from blue-state governors, notably California’s Gavin Newsom during the 2018 wildfires, while promising “A-plus” treatment for states whose governors supported him.
Notably, President Biden criticized Vance as “a clone of Trump on the issues,” noting, that Vance will do what Mike Pence would not, that is, “Bend over backwards to enable Trump and his extreme agenda, even if it means breaking the law and no matter the harm to the American people.”
I will expand a little on those comments with an anecdote from the cinema: Mini-Me was a character from the Austin Powers trilogy of satirical spy movies. Before Dr. Evil was sent back in time to 1969, his followers made him a clone. The clone was similar in every manner although he was one-eighth his size (although Mini-Me is approximately one-third Dr. Evil’s size). Upon being introduced to his clone, Dr. Evil immediately declared, “I shall call him ‘Mini-Me.’”
Appendix: “The Nine“
John Tyler succeeded William Henry Harrison on his death in April, 1841. Harrison had only served from March 4 to April 4, 1841, the shortest presidency in U.S. history. Note that he was the oldest president-elect to take office until Ronald Reagan in 1981. Harrison’s Inaugural Adress was one hour and 45 minutes long, and was delivered in shirtsleeves in cold, windy weather. He died of pneumonia on April 4, 1841.
Millard Fillmore succeeded Zachary Taylor when Taylor died in July, 1850.
Andrew Johnson succeeded Abraham Lincoln upon Lincoln’s assassination on April 15, 1865.
Chester A. Arthur succeeded James Garfield on September 19, 1881, upon Garfield’s assassination; after only 199 days as vice president.
Theodore Roosevelt succeeded William McKinley as president on September 14, 1901, upon McKinley’s assassination; after 194 days as vice president.
Calvin Coolidge succeeded Warren G. Harding as the 30th POTUS on August 2, 1923, upon Harding’s sudden death. Coolidge had been vice president for 2 years, 151 days.
Harry Truman succeeded Franklin Delano Roosevelt as the 33rd POTUS on April 12, 1945 after FDR’s death. Truman was a United States senator from Missouri from 1935 to 1945; and served, briefly, as vice president in 1945.
Lyndon Baines Johnson succeeded John F. Kennedy as the 36th POTUS on Nov 22, 1963, upon JFK’s assassination. LBJ had an extensive career in elected office.
Gerald R. Ford succeeded Richard M. Nixon when Nixon resigned on August 8, 1974. Ford had an extensive career in elected office.
Editor’s Note:This is the opinion of Thomas D. Gotowka.
About the Author: Tom Gotowka is a resident of Old Lyme, whose entire adult career has been in healthcare. He will sit on the Navy side at the Army/Navy football game. He always sit on the crimson side at any Harvard/Yale contest. He enjoys reading historic speeches and considers himself a scholar of the period from FDR through JFK. A child of AM Radio, he probably knows the lyrics of every rock and roll or folk song published since 1960. He hopes these experiences give readers a sense of what he believes “qualify” him to write this column.
Author’s Comments: What has happened to the Republican party? These are two labile, volatile men, and they are absolutely out of control and creating havoc. This has become a campaign of lies. There is not even a hint of policy or platform in his “presentations.”
Trump, and now Vance, continue the false claims of election fraud to this day; and so, I am concerned that he will not respect the results of the election when he loses again
The Atlantic has endorsed Kamala Harris for president; only the fifth time since its founding in 1857 that it has endorsed a presidential candidate. This is the third time it has endorsed Trump’s opponent. (The Atlantic endorsed Abraham Lincoln in 1860.)
The endorsement of Harris reflects its thorough dislike of Trump as “one of the most personally malignant and politically dangerous candidates in American history” and echoes its 1860 warning that this election “is a turning-point in our history.”God save the United States of America.
Sources: A Heartbeat Away: Alexander, R. et al. “Is JD Vance ready to govern on Day One?” Ohio Capital Journal. 08/09/2024 Allison, N. “‘My god what an idiot’: J.D. Vance gets whacked for past Trump comments.” Politico. 10/23/2021. Becket, S. et al. “2020 election “most secure in history,” security officials say.” CBS News. 11/13/2020 Bemiller, H. “JD Vance has been a U.S. senator for 20 months. Is he ready to be vice president?”USA Today. 09/30/2024. Cillizza, C. “The amazing – but true! – reason J.D. Vance is now favored to become a US senator.” CNN.05/04/2022 Cortellessa, E. “The Reinvention of J.D. Vance.” Time. 09/26/2024. Cox- Richardson, H. “The Atlantic endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president.” Letters from an American.10/10/2024. DeWitt, D. “JD Vance a shameless apologist for insurrection in America and war crime assaults on democracy abroad.” Ohio Capital Journal. 02/23/2023. Douthat, R. “Opinion: What J.D. Vance Believes.” NYTimes. 06/13/2024. Dickinson, T. “In Debate Spotlight, Vance Proved He Can Lie Just Like Trump.” Rolling Stone. 10/02/2024 Evans, N. “Vance wondered whether Trump was ‘America’s Hitler,’ says former roommate sharing screenshot.” Ohio Capital Journal. 04/19/2022 FEMA. (09/30/2024.) “FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell is On the Ground in North Carolina, Biden-Harris Administration Actively Responding and Providing Life-Saving Support.” [Press Release] Fortinsky, S. Haberman: Trump campaign ‘perfectly happy’ with Vance in ‘attack dog’ role’.” The Hill. 09/18/2024. Graeme, B. JD Vance named as Trump’s running mate.” BBC. 07/15/2024. Graham, D. “J. D. Vance Tries to Rewrite History.” The Atlantic. 10/02/2024. Gomez-Licon, A. et al. “Trump makes false claims about federal response as he campaigns in area ravaged by Hurricane Helene.” Associated Press. 09/30/2024. Jamison, P. “JD Vance, in 2020 messages, said Trump ‘thoroughly failed to deliver’.” The Washington Post. 09/27/2024. Kaczynski, A. & Steck,E. “JD Vance, Trump’s VP pick, once called him a ‘moral disaster,’ and possibly ‘America’s Hitler’.” CNN. 07/16/2024 Leingang, R. “Hurricane Helene conspiracy theories collide with election misinformation.” The Guardian. 10/04/2024. Lerner, K. “New Trump January 6 court filing highlights perils of possible JD Vance vice-presidency.” The Guardian. 10/09/2024 Main, A. & Bradford, E. “Trump selected Ohio Sen. JD Vance, a critic turned ally, as running mate after last-minute push from son.” CNN. 07/15/2024 McFall, M. “JD Vance Warning Issued by Mary Trump: ‘Abnormal and Dangerous’.” Newsweek.10/03/2024 Moran, L. George Conway Sums Up A Donald Trump Tactic With 2 Words From Adolf Hitler. Huffington Post. 10/07/2024. Nicholls, F. “Trump Warns Hostile Migrants Have Machine Guns Beyond ‘Military Scope’.” Newsweek. 10/02/2024. Roush, T. “JD Vance Said ‘Emperor’ Trump ‘Thoroughly Failed’ In 2020, Report Says.”Forbes. 09/27/2024. Shoemaker, A. “ ‘She can go to hell’: JD Vance attacks VP Kamala Harris over withdrawal from Afghanistan.” The Cincinnati Enquirer. 08/28/2024. Vance, JD. “Opioid of the Masses.” The Atlantic. 07/04/2016. Wang, A. &Kornfield, M. “The not-so-kind things J.D. Vance said about Trump before he was VP pick.” The Washington Post. 07/15/2024. Warren, M. et al. “Senate hopeful J.D. Vance apologizes for criticizing Trump as ‘reprehensible’ in deleted tweets.” CNN. 07/16/2021. Watson, K. “Trump defends personal attacks on Harris, discusses election outcome, release of medical records.” CBS News. 08/20/2024.
OLD LYME—Patricia “Patti” C. Calkins died Oct. 10, 2024, at home in the embrace of her husband and son … Patricia was born to Thomas J. Collins and Mary A. (Dorsey) Collins Aug. 10, 1948 …
Patti was married to George P. Calkins Aug. 16, 1969, at the St. Johns R. C. Church in Old Saybrook … When her kids were old enough to begin school, she started working for the Lyme/Old Lyme School District from which she retired after 37 years. … She was not an outdoor person and once responded when our family doctor asked what she did for exercise, “I knit and read.” He had no response.
Above all, Patti was a voracious reader. She read constantly until just before her death. She was an avid member of her monthly book club with several of her closest friends from school. She could be found several days a week at the Old Lyme P.G.N. Library where she had once volunteered …
Patti is survived by her husband George; her daughter Sarah R. (Calkins) Jennings; son Adam C. Calkins; and her beloved granddaughter Emily Patricia Jennings and grandson Matthew J. Jennings; Patricia’s sister Mary A. (Collins) Emma, husband Albert Emma, niece Mara Emma and nephew Jason Emma who all reside in Georgia.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 16, in Christ The King R. C. Church, McCurdy Road, Old Lyme … Patti would wish that in lieu of any flowers, a memorial donation to the P.G.N. Library, or to a library of the donor’s choice, be made to remember her “HAPPY PLACE.” …
Backus Hospital staff stand with Maina Foundation founder Alka Shrikhande.
OLD LYME—Connecticut resident and Pfizer alumna, Alka Shrikhande, says, “When my mom, a beautiful and loving woman, lost her battle against breast cancer in 2006, the question I asked myself was, whether she would still be alive if the cancer had been detected earlier with yearly mammograms?”
In 2008, Shrikhande established Maina Foundation, a nonprofit based in Old Lyme, whose mission is to increase awareness of breast cancer, promote early detection, and offer financial assistance—where it is able—for treatment.
With low overheads, and an all-volunteer staff, almost all the money the organization raises goes towards three areas of support.
Locally, Maina Foundation has donated to Backus Breast Cancer Center in Norwich, Conn., to assist breast cancer patients in Eastern Connecticut from diagnosis through treatment, and beyond.
Maina Foundation representatives present New York City Health and Hospitals Metropolitan Breast Care Center in Manhattan with a check for funding.
In New York, Maina Foundation has been collaborating with the New York City (NYC) Health and Hospitals Metropolitan Breast Care Center in Manhattan to support breast cancer patients in need, to obtain advanced diagnostic imaging.
And, in India, the organization has had a significant impact on screening and raising awareness of breast cancer in underserved communities at multiple hospitals in Mumbai, Rishikesh, and Chennai, to name a few.
From October to December this year, in honor of Breast Cancer Prevention Month, Maina Foundation is excited to be partnering with artists, both local and national, in their 3rd Annual Online Art Exhibition. Images of the art for sale can be found on the Maina Foundation website—the list price includes shipping, and there is no sales tax.
This year, 20 percent of the proceeds from the art sale will be donated to NYC Health and Hospitals Metropolitan Breast Care Center, to provide comprehensive breast cancer care to underserved and vulnerable populations, regardless of their ability to pay.
Featured artists include:
Howard Park, a local artist and photographer, was led by his love of the sea, from Boston, via the L’Ecole d’Art Decorative de Nice, to Connecticut where he now lives in East Lyme. In 2001, Park sailed around the world. He has won numerous awards from the New England Watercolor Society, the Mystic Museum of Art and the Lyme Art Association.
Lisa Miceli, is a local artist who has won multiple awards for her plein air art with a focus on expressionist watercolors and oils. She has been Influenced, amongst others, by her grandmother, Lucille Gauthier, an illustrator, watercolorist, and a Works Progress Administration artist in the 1930’s. Miceli was the winner of the JMW Turner watercolor competition at the Mystic Seaport.
Natalie Sambamurty, a Maina Foundation board member, works with acrylic, watercolors and oil paints. She draws inspiration from wildlife, traditional Indian art and lifestyles, nature, and different cultures of the world. She is passionate about children’s and women’s health.
Laya Joseph, a New York-based artist, is influenced by her botanist background. She works primarily in acrylic and mixed media, and her paintings are mostly abstracts and semi abstracts, expressionistic in style and often rooted in her memories and experiences.
Ritu Khetan, inspired by the beauty of henna art, creates intricate patterns on candles, trays, and home décor. Khetan has introduced the art of henna to students of Carnegie Mellon University, and loves to share the joy of simply “creating.”
Sneha Khetan, an 8th Grader from Charlotte, N.C., makes handmade cards and shadow boxes, and is the founder of Sustainable Charlotte, an organization that promotes sustainable living with an aim to educate the public about the climate crisis.
Girish Nair, is known for his live painting on stage alongside musicians and other performing artists. Although known for his portraits in oil and color pencils, he has a special interest in creating abstracts and theological interpretations. His art has raised more than $60,000 for multiple charitable organizations.
Geeta Pathak, transformed innocent doodles in school books to priceless canvases. Life, with all its precious moments of love, angst, heartache, amidst playing different roles of daughter, sister, friend, wife, and mother, all came together one day as art became her lifeline. This is why she paints everything and anything she perceives to be “in the moment.”
With the support of the community, Maina Foundation hopes to raise much-needed funds to continue their programs and fulfil their mission to raise breast cancer awareness. Please consider supporting their mission by purchasing these beautiful paintings, created by the featured artists.
Norm Needleman (D), is the incumbent candidate for 33rd State Senate District, which includes Lyme.
The Police Officers Association of Connecticut has endorsed State Senator Norm Needleman for another term in the Connecticut State Senate.
As the First Selectman of Essex, Sen. Needleman works directly with police and first responders in his community. As a State Senator, he has taken steps to engage with local police departments, assist them where and when possible, and learn more about what they need to best succeed in their roles.
Knowing the vital importance of public safety, Sen. Needleman is committed to supporting policing strategies that benefit both officers and the public, allowing for them to safely and effectively keep our communities protected.
“Police in our communities rush toward danger while the rest of us flee. They play a direct and vital role in our communities, keeping us safe and ensuring those who break the law will meet necessary consequences,” said Sen. Needleman.
He continued, “I am honored to receive the support of the POACT, which represents approximately 5,000 police officers across the state, and will continue working to make sure our communities receive the care and service they need while the people who provide that care and service are able to go home at the end of the day with the compensation they deserve.”
In 2019 and 2023, Sen. Needleman voted for the bipartisan four-year Connecticut State Police labor union contracts providing officers with raises and bonuses as well as improved benefits. Specifically, that contract raised the pay for State Police trooper trainees, which will benefit the state’s ability to recruit and retain qualified troopers.
Sen. Needleman has also voted to support policies providing police officers with access to care for post-traumatic stress caused on the job among other significant improvements.
This latest endorsement comes after previously announced support for Norm from the Independent Party, Retired Teachers of Connecticut, Planned Parenthood, CT Realtors, Reproductive Action Now, 314 Action Fund and AFT Connecticut, among others.
Sen. Needleman was unanimously renominated this spring by the Democratic Party to represent the town of Lyme along with Colchester, Chester, Clinton, Deep River, East Haddam, East Hampton, Essex, Haddam, Old Saybrook, Portland and Westbrook.
In addition to working as Senate Chair of the Energy and Technology Committee, Sen. Needleman also works as Vice Chair of the Planning and Development Committee and a member of the Finance, Revenue and Bonding, Transportation and Commerce Committees.
Sen. Needleman founded and runs a manufacturing company, Tower Laboratories in Centerbrook, and is currently serving his sixth term as the First Selectman of Essex.
Editor’s Note: This article is based on a press release issued by Sen. Needleman’s office.
