Category Archives: Old Lyme

TOP STORY: Old Lyme Racks Up About $13,000 in Legal Fees for Withholding Documents While Shoemaker Foots Bill for $250 Fine

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OLD LYME—Costs for the Town of Old Lyme have exceeded $13,000 to resolve a Freedom of Information complaint from a local news outlet that Old Lyme First Selectwoman Martha Shoemaker held back serious allegations against a member of the independent Old Lyme Ambulance Association.  

A review of legal bills filed at the Town Hall shows the town has spent at least $13,035 to defend Shoemaker in front of the state Freedom of Information Commission (FOIC) since the case began more than a year ago. That is when the CT Examiner appealed to the transparency watchdogs to compel Shoemaker to comply fully with its request for documents, including any allegations of sexual assault or harassment going back to the beginning of 2024.

Shoemaker ultimately produced two incident reports containing accusations that an adult Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) touched an intern inappropriately and repeatedly, according to the testimony of CT Examiner reporter Francisco Uranga. But FOIC hearing officer Valicia Dee Harmon noted 168 days had elapsed since the news outlet asked for the information, and it was only provided after the commission got involved.

The commission in June ordered the town to respond promptly to requests for public documents going forward.

A state police spokesman said the law enforcement investigation into the EMT concluded in December. He was never charged.

The legal invoices from the New London-based Suisman Shapiro firm span the alleged incident in March 2024 through the current bill cycle. 

Since the bills in many instances were not specific enough for LymeLine to independently verify which fees pertained to the case against Shoemaker, the first selectwoman sat down with LymeLine to identify the relevant expenses. 

Included in the legal fees was $3,250 for attorney Kristi D. Kelly to prepare for and attend FOIC hearings in December 2024 and April 2025, plus a meeting of the full commission last month.

Attorneys John A. Collins III and Michael P. Carey, as well as a member of the paralegal staff, joined Kelly in billing the town for numerous emails, conference calls and meetings. Other expenses included reviewing files, redacting documents, corresponding with a commission ombudsman regarding complaint resolution, reading CT Examiner articles on the subject and writing hearing briefs. 

The town pays the attorneys $185 per hour, while paralegal staffers receive $95 per hour. The attorneys receive $37 for any task that takes less than 20 minutes. 

Rare Fine

The FOIC last month also upheld Harmon’s decision to issue a rare $250 civil fine.

Shoemaker took responsibility for the fine. From her office in the Town Hall this week, she showed LymeLine a copy of the check dated earlier this month from her personal account and the green postcard from the United States Postal Service confirming receipt. Russell Blair, spokesman for the FOIC, on Friday said the payment had not yet been processed. 

“I made a mistake,” Shoemaker said. “I paid the fine. And we’ve revamped.” 

Shoemaker in a written follow-up was more specific about the mistakes she made in handling the request for public documents.

She acknowledged receiving the two incident reports in March, which she said she “failed to recall” while responding to multiple Freedom of Information requests in June. 

“When I became aware of the outstanding incident reports at the December FOIA hearing, I directly provided them to the FOIA hearing officer and CT Examiner,” she said.

Kelly last month told the commission she had “no knowledge as one of the town’s attorneys that an incident report even existed” until the December hearing. 

Old Lyme Republican Selectwoman Jude Read, in response to a request for comment, said it sends a bad message when Town Hall officials cover up allegations of sexual assault.

Read is running for reelection on the Republican ticket along with first selectman candidate John Mesham.

“Yes, the town has wasted probably thousands of dollars. Yes, the First Selectwoman has chosen to break the law,” Read said in a written response to LymeLine. “But more importantly, what does it say to every other young man or woman subjected to this kind of thing in the workplace? It says, ‘keep quiet. Don’t talk. We don’t want to know about it.’ And I think that’s just plain wrong.” 

Shoemaker this week apologized for failing to recall the documents.

“I am sorry for this oversight,” she said. “I take full responsibility for it, and have initiated additional FOIA processes at Town Hall.”

The hearing officer in her decision acknowledged Shoemaker has implemented a more formal process for logging and tracking Freedom of Information requests, assigned an administrative assistant to be the point person, and signed up for yearly FOI education training with the commission’s public education officer.

Shoemaker emphasized the trooper investigating the case had access to all of the documents at the onset of his investigation.

The state police spokesman said troopers submitted an arrest warrant to the court, but prosecutors declined to move forward with the case.

Editor’s Note: This article was updated with information from the FOIC spokesman.

Death Announced of Richard Bugbee, 68, of Old Lyme, Memorial Service Held in OL

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OLD LYME – Richard “Rick” George Bugbee, of Old Lyme, died Saturday July 19, 2025, after a long battle with lymphoma. He was 68. Born Oct. 26, 1956 to Richard C. Bugbee Jr. and Jane E. (Patch) Bugbee, he graduated from Old Lyme High School in 1974 and proceeded to explore the country, where he developed a lifelong love and appreciation for the West. He returned to Connecticut in 1980, where he met Ann Turkington of Manchester. They married in 1984, and had three daughters before divorcing in 1996 …

Survivors include, his mother; his three daughters, their spouses and grandchildren: Jane and Nicholas Lano and their children, Claire and Henry of Hamden; Mary Bugbee and Aaron Apmann of Leadville, Colo., and Ellen Bugbee and Trevor Lundeen and their son Thomas of Somerville, Mass.; his aunt Carol Carlson of Cromwell; and his two sisters, Carol Cieszynski of Naperville, Ill., and her family and Laurie Willis of Lyme.

Donations in his memory may be made to the Charitable Partner of the National Parks (nationalparks.org).

A Memorial Service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, July 25, in the First Congregational Church, McCurdy Road, Old Lyme.

Editor’s Note: Visit this link to read the full obituary published on July 23, 2025 by ‘The Day.’

Death Announced of Gina Rivera Hernández de Perez, 55, ‘Beloved Member of Staff’ at Lyme-Old Lyme Schools

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NEW LONDON—It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Gina Rivera Hernández de Perez, 55, of New London. On Tuesday, July 22, 2025, Gina passed away peacefully at Backus Hospital, surrounded by the love of her family. She faced a courageous battle with cancer, a fight defined by her incredible strength, unwavering spirit, and enduring grace.

Born in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, on September 26, 1969, Gina was raised in the Barrio Cerro Gordo of Añasco. In 1979, she moved with her family to New London, Connecticut, where she graduated from New London High School in 1987. Though she built her life in Connecticut, her heart remained deeply rooted in her heritage. As she proudly declared, she was “más boricua que el coquí.”

… For many years, she was a beloved member of the staff at Lyme-Old Lyme Public Schools, where her energy and warmth were cherished by her colleagues. She cherished her work and looked forward to the day her health would allow her to return.

Gina was predeceased by her father, Efraín Rivera Valentín.

Her memory will be cherished forever by her loving husband, Manuel Perez; her beloved mother, Migdalia Hernández Nieves; and her devoted children, Yajaira Y. Vega Rivera (Juan), José J. Muñiz Rivera, and Joshian Y. Muñiz Rivera.

She was also a loving stepmother …. She adored her step-grandchildren, …
Gina also leaves behind her siblings, … her twin brother, … and her stepsister, … as well as her treasured niece and nephews, … her beloved aunt,… and uncle, … along with many loving cousins and extended family members.

A celebration of life will be held on Friday, July 25, 2025 at 11a.m. at Lester Gee Funeral Home, 108 Blinman Street, New London, Connecticut. Calling hours will begin at 10a.m. until time of service. Interment will be held in Cedar Grove Cemetery, New London, Connecticut.

Calling hours will be held on Thursday, July 24, 2025 from 6p.m to 8p.m. Lester Gee Funeral Home,108 Blinman Street, New London, Connecticut.

Editor’s Note: Visit this link to read the full obituary published on Legacy.com on July 23, 2025.

Talking Transportation: Congress Giveth (Renewed Life to AM Radio), But Also Taketh Away (Cutting PBS, NPR)

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Jim Cameron

Remember when commuting was fun because you could listen to the radio? 

Earlier in my career I may have been the guy you heard, both on WHCN / Hartford and later on NBC. When I started in radio in 1967, AM Top 40 was king and FM was just getting started. But in 1961 the FCC decreed that all radios should have both AM and FM bands … and that FM should broadcast in stereo. And no longer could station owners just simulcast their AM programs on their FM stations: FM programming had to be different.

Thus was born “Progressive Album Rock” on FM, usually programmed by long-haired LP fans.  That was me, again. Within years, radio listening went from predominantly AM to majority FM thanks to better audio quality and changing musical tastes.

Today the AM band is filled with syndicated political talk, foreign language shows and sports.  Only a handful of stations have real news departments (think WTIC, WICC here in Connecticut.)

Then came the all-electric car.  Because of their wiring Teslas and such could not have AM radios due to interference. What to do?

Well, Congress is expected to pass a law requiring AM radios in all cars. The bill has hundreds of co-sponsors, including the entire Connecticut delegation. No wonder: pols love being interviewed on AM stations.

“But AM radio is effectively aging out, with less than a 20% market share.  And many news / talk stations have transitioned to FM where there are far more listeners,” (think WINS in NYC) says former station consultant Steve Goldstein of Westport.

Goldstein left radio years 10 years ago to become a podcasting consultant. He also teaches at NYU and says not one of his students listens to AM. Most don’t listen to FM, either, preferring streaming services like Pandora and Spotify or on-demand media like podcasts. “AM radio is going the way of the phone booth and fax machine”, he laments.

So why save AM radio in the car when folks aren’t listening? And what will be left on FM to tune into?

If your listening habits tend toward the NPR stations at the lower end of the FM band, you’re in for disappointment. Congress has just voted to claw back (“rescind”) $1.1 billion from funds previously allocated to CPB, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which funds both PBS television and NPR radio stations.

In the case of Connecticut Public Radio (WNPR) we’re talking about a 10+% budget cut. That will probably mean layoffs and less local programming for shows like “Colin McEnroe.”  

At WSHU they say they’ll need to raise an additional $500,000 to make up for the loss. Elsewhere in the US it’s estimated that as many as 80 NPR stations will just go dark.

Your mail is already crowded with funding appeals, not just from public broadcasters but from other non-profits also losing federal funding.  With so many hands outstretched, how will donors prioritize their gifts? Feeding the hungry or keeping the airwaves alive?

So Congress giveth (renewed life to AM radio) and taketh away (cutting PBS and NPR). The media world (and listeners) will adapt.  

Now, if only I could find my old eight-track tape player.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Frampton Says There is ‘No Dispute’ Over Ownership of Tantummaheag Landing

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To the Editor:

I write to clarify a critical point in Elizabeth Regan’s article published today reporting the [Old Lyme] Republican Committee’s continued rejection of any amicable resolution over a “years-long dispute over the ownership of a spit of land bisecting a Tantummaheag Road property”, namely, Tantummaheag Landing (our back driveway), which we purchased in 2020.

To the contrary, there is no dispute between us and the Town about “ownership” since Tim Griswold’s Town Attorney publicly stated at a BOS meeting in August 2022 that his year-long investigation had found no evidence of ownership on the part of the Town. The Town and its counsel have since confirmed publicly and privately that they cannot and do not dispute that we own the Landing parcel in fee simple.

While the Griswold administration continued to claim there might have been a “public highway” along that spit of land based on a 1701 right of way, we discovered and published more than two years ago official Town records establishing that this right of way never went down what is now our back driveway, wasn’t even being used and indeed couldn’t be found in 1712, was replaced by another right of way in 1713 (which traces the current Tantummaheag Road and never  touched our property), and by contract with the then-landowner Richard Lord (who became First Selectman in 1720) the Town surrendered all rights to any and all Town rights-of-ways on his property in 1727.

Sincerely,

George T. Frampton, Jr.
Old Lyme.